Living with conscience and care
by Jodie Hoff
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Pay to all what is due them (Romans 13:7a).
Read Romans 13:1–7
I find Romans 13 is a reading to approach carefully. Words about authority can land differently depending on our experience. Some of us have known authority as wise, protective and life-giving. Others have seen it misused or felt the weight of systems that do not always serve people well.
So I don’t hear this passage as a call to switch off our consciences or simply go along with whatever is expected. I hear it as an invitation to think deeply about how we live as people of faith within the communities, structures and responsibilities that shape our lives.
‘Pay to all what is due them’ sounds simple, but it asks something quite searching of us. What do I owe the people around me? Respect? Honesty? Patience? A willingness to listen? A commitment to contribute to the common good? Sometimes what is ‘due’ is not just a tax or an obligation, but the care and dignity every neighbour deserves.
I know there are days when it is tempting to think mostly about what is fair for me, what costs me least or what helps me get through the day most easily. But this passage gently turns us outward. It reminds us that our choices affect others. The way we speak, lead, respond, participate and challenge can help to build up a community and create space for others to flourish.
Perhaps faithfulness here involves living with both humility and courage: humility to honour others and take responsibility seriously, and courage to ask whether our actions reflect God’s justice, mercy and peace.
God of wisdom and justice, guide us to live responsibly within our communities, with conscience, courage and care. Help us to honour others, seek the common good and follow your way of mercy and peace. Amen.
With more than 25 years of leadership experience in Lutheran schools, Jodie Hoff brings a deep commitment to Lutheran education and the people and communities it serves. Having lived and worked in both Queensland and South Australia, she now serves as the executive director of Lutheran Education Australia. Jodie is passionate about building relationships, fostering connection and creating opportunities for people and communities to flourish. Beyond her work, she enjoys photography and the arts.
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