Do the Right Thing

-

 

Scripture: Luke 20:21-26 (ESV)

Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God. 22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” 23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, 24 “Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?” They said, “Caesar’s.” 25 He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 26 And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch him in what he said, but marveling at his answer, they became silent.

Devotion:

The Pharisees and the Herodians tried to trap Jesus with a tricky question. They asked him whether it was right to pay taxes to Caesar, the Roman emperor who ruled over Israel. If Jesus said yes, he would anger the Jews who hated the Roman occupation. He would be accused of rebellion against the government if he said no. Either way, they hoped to discredit him and make him lose his popularity among the people.

But Jesus, in his wisdom, was not fooled by their hypocrisy. He asked them to show him a coin and tell him whose image and inscription it bore. They answered, 'Caesar's.' Then Jesus gave them a brilliant reply: 'Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.' In this, he exposed their false dilemma and taught them a profound lesson about their dual citizenship, enlightening them with a deeper understanding.

As followers of Christ, we also have a dual citizenship. We belong to the kingdom of God, but we also live in this world. We have responsibilities and obligations to both realms. We are called to respect and obey the authorities that God has placed over us, as long as they do not contradict his will. We are also called to honor and worship God with all that we are and have, as he is the ultimate source and owner of everything.

Jesus' answer challenges us to examine our hearts and priorities. It prompts us to ask ourselves: are we giving to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God? Are we faithful in paying our taxes, obeying the laws, and praying for our leaders? Are we also faithful in tithing, serving, and glorifying God with our time, talents, and treasures? Are we living as good citizens of both heaven and earth? This introspection is crucial for our spiritual growth and alignment with God's will.

Let us pray that God will give us wisdom and grace to render to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's.

Prayer:

            Lord, help us to be wise and filled with grace so that we may obey Jesus's words in this passage. Increase, O Lord, our understanding, and teach us how to live out this saying. Grant us a willingness to obey you in all things. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Welcoming the Unwelcome

-
  Scripture: Luke 7:36-38 (NIV) 36  When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37  A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38  As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and poured perfume on them. Devotion:             First of all, some warnings to my readers. This post will exceed the 500 words I try to limit my posts. Second, this post will contain content people may find offensive or otherwise unfit for print. Please understand that my purpose is neither to offend nor upset but to provoke thought and, hopefully, respectful dialog.             We will use Luke chapter seven as an aid to interpreting the events that occurred last Thursday at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. On that da
Read more

Transgenderism letter

-
  This is a copy of my letter to my senators, representative, and President Biden. January 15, 2024 Dear President Biden, Senators T. Duckworth, R. Durbin, and Representative D. LaHood             I am writing to you because I am concerned about the situation affecting our children and grandchildren, namely transitioning them from one gender to another. This nation must adjust course concerning these “interventions” because they are dangerous, irreversible, and life-changing. Our country should not be permitting these procedures on minor children under any circumstances. We must also make sure that adults who seek this care are given informed consent as to the risks versus benefits of sex reassignment treatments.             There are many drawbacks to gender-affirming care for minors. Besides the loss of any ability to give or receive sexual pleasure and sterility these treatments cause, there are social and psychological effects that we have no way of identifying because these
Read more

The Hatred of the World

-
Scripture: John 15:18-20 (ESV) 18  “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19  If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20  Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. Devotion:             This scripture is compelling. It explains what happened to Jesus and His disciples some 2,000 years ago. The message of God is rarely welcome news for the world. It calls out many of the culture's favorite practices for what they are: sin. Ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, humankind has been adamant about trying to hide or excuse their sin. Sin causes a barrier between humans and God that humanity cannot overcome in its own power.             Things have not changed in the
Read more