Friday’s Devotion: Caesar and God

Matthew 22:15-22 (NLT)  Then the Pharisees met together to plot how to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested.  They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him. “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favorites.  Now tell us what you think about this: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”  But Jesus knew their evil motives. “You hypocrites!” he said. “Why are you trying to trap me?  Here, show me the coin used for the tax.” When they handed him a Roman coin, he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”  “Caesar’s,” they replied. “Well, then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”  His reply amazed them, and they went away.

This scripture really isn’t about whether the people should pay taxes or not.  It’s about Jesus’ conflict with Jewish leaders. However I have always seen some wisdom in Jesus’ remark. We all have dual citizenship.  We are citizens of the country in which we live or maybe of some other country but we are also citizens of the Kingdom of God. While we do our duties as Americans we should never lose sight of our other citizenship and the duties to which that citizenship calls us.  This citizenship calls us to be people of love.  It calls us to be kind to one another, to care for the poor and lonely, to pray and worship God.  Our Kingdom citizenship must, MUST take priority over our geographic citizenship.  If we let the other dominate we are easily led to participate in the divisiveness that seems to naturally come when we have a multi-party political system. I plan on being in church Sunday (I have to be there, I’m the preacher) and I hope you will be there too. If need be, let’s reorient ourselves as Christians towards the things of God.

Holy God, We no longer live in the Garden. We occupy a world that does not always reflect your image. Help us to reorient ourselves toward the cross upon which the blood of our Savior was poured that we might become new people; citizens of your Kingdom now and eternally.  In His name we pray, Amen.

Have a blessed day,
Paige