JMD Devotional 239 Romans 13:7-10 The Sin of Neglect

Render to all men their dues. [Pay] taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, and honor to whom honor is due. Keep out of debt and owe no man anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor [who practices loving others] has fulfilled the Law [relating to one's fellowmen, meeting all its requirements].
The commandments, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet (have an evil desire), and any other commandment, are summed up in the single command, You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself. Love does no wrong to one's neighbor [it never hurts anybody]. Therefore love meets all the requirements and is the fulfilling of the Law.

Neglect is the failure to give proper care or attention to somebody or something. Neglect is not caring for something properly. Neglect is not caring: the absence of love. Letting yourself get into excessive debt is a sign of not loving your future self’s well-being or that of your family. Stealing from your employer, either through pilfering, or through half-hearted service, betrays not loving your benefactor, which is doubly grievous in the light of our Lord’s command to love our enemies.
Adultery is a very widespread sin in that you injure your own soul, you corrupt the soul of the person in cahoots with you (leading them to ruin (how ‘loving’ is that?)), you neglect to protect the daughter (or son) of the other person’s parents, you have in fact spread cancer to every extended relationship and undermined social order. There are no victimless sins. True love does no wrong; but the miserable, selfish indulgence we call ‘love’, that neglects the well being of all others in the pursuit of pleasure, murders its object of ‘affection.’

Dear God,
Cultivate genuine love in our hearts for You, ourselves and others. Expose the selfish, manipulative and deceitful motives that masquerade as ‘love’ in our lives. By Your divine influence, help us to love the unlovable: I ask You again, help me to truly love myself, for without that love all of the others break down. Help me to love and respect all other human beings, leaving judgment to You. I confess to being so unloving. Transform me, Lord.
Amen

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