Utang na loob
– “a sense of obligation to return a favor owed to someone.”

The working definition, itself, has urged me to re-think things. Yes utang na loob is culturally acceptable, but is it ethical (morally accepted) in the Biblical context? What does the Bible say about this?

I am gonna pattern it based on Biblical moral ground.

The impression is that the phenomenon of utang loob is very man-centered and highlights limitation (i.e. it is only through man or one source that reward or provision can come from. the Bible urges us to rely on God and Him alone for everything).

It also encourages giving or helping out with strings attached. What I hate about this is the normalized tendency that such condition is not even verbally (or the like) agreed upon. But, it is just expected or assumed. Hindi ba entitlement na din yun sometimes? Like, doing something good is not even natural and is not accepted as such to the point that it needs to be rewarded to be reinforced? Aren’t we supposed to be naturally good from the very start? There is a problem here.

There is also an expectation to return a favor. Let’s think again: is that how God acts towards us? Like, “oh inanswer Ko prayer mo, attend ka worship service ha”. I was raised with the realization or revelation that God is faithful even when we’re not. And yes, although we are a Catholic (sometimes, treated as a mere denomination na lang) country, there is still a difference between God and man. There is still the reality of sin and dysfunction imbedded in the human heart. There is still something wrong. And it is not always pretty; we have to acknowledge that.

It is, however, a case to case basis. For a thing to be evil, it must have the necessary conditions first. What is the intention behind what you do? Are they selfish? Do you give only so that you’ll be given? What is the moral composition in this scenario?

We have to be better people and we can do that by first being self-aware. For change to emanate, it must first be existent in the host- in us.