ONE VOICE – ONE PURPOSE

Devotionals for International Women’s Day 2025 

Day Three of Seven

ONE VOICE, ONE LOVE

By Josephine Thiyagu, Trichy, Tamilnadu, India 

Question for reflection:

Some of us carry debt. We look forward to the day when we will pay it off and be debt-free. How would you feel if you one day woke up and were told that the interest rate on your debt had increased so much that you will never in your lifetime ever be debt-free? 

Romans 13:8 (NIV)

 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.

In answer to the question above, I think of words like despair, overwhelmed, devastated, depressed. Imagine now, that your creditor comes to you and says, “It’s true, you will be in debt for the rest of your life. But don’t worry. I will provide everything you need so that you will be able to pay your debt, and you’ll have a better quality of life for it!” 

We are bound to love, which means this love does not originate from us; it belongs purely to God. When He created us, He showed us pure love. This means we are born in debt—a debt of love. There is an expectation that we must love others.)

Why is love for others an obligation? We are permanently in debt to Christ for the abundant love and grace He has poured out on us. The only way we can begin to repay this debt is by extending the same kind of lavish love and grace to others. Because Christ’s love is infinitely greater than ours, we will always have the obligation to continue repaying that love to others as best we can.

This is the first fundamental truth taught here: Love is not merely an emotion we can choose to express or withhold. It is not based on how lovable or good we perceive someone to be. We are commanded to love—without discrimination, regardless of whether someone is beautiful or ugly, good or bad.

This is a hard teaching—who can accept it? Yet, every person is our creditor in this debt of love. If we do not love them, we are not giving them what is due. Furthermore, this debt of love is never fully paid. No matter how much love we give, the obligation remains. We may grow weary of loving, especially when the recipient seems unworthy, and we may even feel that we have fulfilled our duty. But if we take Paul’s words to heart, we will develop greater patience and not be so quick to shut our hearts against those who seem ungrateful.

Fulfilling the Law

Is it possible to clear all our debts? Paul teaches that love fulfills the law. Some Jewish teachers also saw love for one’s neighbor as fulfilling the law (Matthew 22:39-40) but Paul’s ultimate teacher was Jesus Himself.

Paul highlights that love is the key to obeying all other commandments.

1. Love is the essential ingredient that must accompany obedience to the commandments. We must still obey them, but they cannot truly be followed without a loving spirit.

2. Love for others replaces the need for other commandments because when we truly love, we automatically fulfill what the law requires. As Paul states in verse 10, “Love does no harm to a neighbor.” If we genuinely love others, we will not murder, commit adultery, steal, or covet.

Throughout the Bible, the one voice that echoes repeatedly is the one love that God commands us to hold onto. The world teaches love in a conditional and self-serving way—love based on expectations, rules, and personal benefits. We experience love from parents, spouses, children, friends, and society, but often, it comes with conditions. We may wear a mask of love that we change depending on the situation and the people involved.

Many times, we claim to love God. We say, “I serve God because I love Him. I read my Bible and pray. I am committed to attending all my church’s meetings because I love God.” Yet, at the same time, we may carry resentment toward certain people. We avoid speaking to them, hold grudges, judge them based on their actions, and condemn them for their behavior. There are people we have rejected because we are not comfortable being around them.

But how can we say we love God if we struggle to love our brothers and sisters? As 1 John 4:20 says, “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.”

That is a shocking truth! If someone tells us, “You don’t love God,” we would struggle to accept it. Yet, by failing to love others, that is exactly what we are doing.

Personal sharing

I would like to share an experience from when I was an intern in the ministry. There was a sister who mentored me who always questioned what I was doing. Her constant inquiries made me feel controlled, and I suppressed many feelings about her being judgmental and incapable of understanding me. As a result, I was not open with her. One day, overwhelmed with emotion, I finally expressed my frustration to her.

To my surprise, she responded with kindness and sought to understand me. I had already judged her in my mind, believing she would never forgive me or love me after what I had said. But one day, she invited me to her home and asked me to share my feelings openly. She had already prepared to wash my feet.

Even after I spoke words against her, she washed my feet with humility. I was in tears. She did not try to defend herself—she simply showed me the love of Christ. That moment deeply moved me. I realized that we do not need to prove who is right; we just need to do what is right—showing the love of Christ. That day, we became not just mentor and mentee but true friends.

For further reflection: 

1. Do you hear the one voice that calls us to love one another? Are you someone who takes the initiative to show Christ’s love?

2. When you see someone, do you recognize the debt of love you owe them?

3. Is there someone in your life you are still holding back from loving? Would you be willing to reach out to them today with the attitude of Christ?

4. If God were to examine whether you are repaying the debt of love, what would He say about you?

Author bio: 

Josephine, 36, became a disciple in 2007. In 2013 she joined the school of missions. She married Thiyagu in 2013. Together they led a church in Salem, India, for five years from 2017-2022. Recently they have been leading the church in Trichy, India.  They have two sons, Jaden Timothy who is four and Theo who is one year old.