To God the Thing’s that are God’s

Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?" But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax." And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, "Whose head is this, and whose title?" They answered, "The emperor's." Then he said to them, "Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's." (Matthew 22:15-21)

In the same breath in which Jesus declares that paying taxes is not against the will of God, Jesus shares an even more important truth, that what is God’s must be given to God. There is a lot to stress about in life, but this truth could and should relieve me from that stress. Reminding myself that all that I have (my wealth, my health, my family, and my life) comes from God and thus belongs to God.

When I was a kid I don’t recall being stressed as often as I am now. Sure, there were moments, but most often I trusted my parents to provide for what I needed to live. As an adult and a parent now, I am fully aware of how much faith my kids have put into their mom and I to provide for their needs. I worry often about whether or not I will ever fail to provide, but as of now I have managed to give them what they need.

As I sit here reflecting on this, I think about how much God must care for me. I am also aware of the people in our world who struggle to find the necessities they need in order to survive. Does God not care for them? I believe God does but also expects us to view the resources we have as God’s and give to others who have not.

When I was in high school, I remember going home with a buddy of mine after football practice to his house. His parents had provided us food before we were to go to church that night. Nobody was home when we arrived, but we saw the food on the stove. We ate and we ate a lot. We ate so much that we both thought we would explode. When my buddy’s parents got home with his younger brothers, they were surprised to see that all the food had been eaten. Apparently, the meal they prepared was for all of us not just my buddy and I. We felt both embarrassed and shameful for having eaten a meal that was supposed to be for an entire family.

God has blessed us with this world and all that it provides. It is my belief that there is enough for everyone and no one should go hungry, but what has happened is that some of us have taken more than we need. This week think about all that you have, is it more than you need? How can we share with the world so that no one goes without?

In God’s grip,

Pastor Chuck Church