Do you ever feel a little sorry for the religious leaders in our story? We’ve been watching their growing frustration with Jesus. Today they resort to sending “spies” to try and trap Jesus. Perhaps if Jesus saw common looking “honest” folks asking the hard questions he would slip up. Never underestimate God and how he will use a situation.
Jesus didn’t miss a beat here. He was not fooled by the trick question. In fact, his response was perfect. Even the spies had to agree, I’m sure, that it was a masterful answer. As we are in the midst of tax season as I write this, Jesus’ response resonates even more. We pay tax to the country of our citizenship, which is not our country of residence.
We realize that it is best to store up our treasures in heaven. We also realize the necessity of following man’s laws and paying tax on the income we make in this world. So what do we give back to God? What has the mark of God? We do. We are his children, and he made us in his image. Doesn’t he deserve our best?
So how are you serving God right now? Are you giving him back what he is due? What is God’s love, support, strength, and forgiveness worth to you? It goes way beyond money, the man made way of accounting. In the Old Testament we have sacrifices of animals, birds and grain. Those are all from God and were given back to God. Did you ever wonder what God did with all the burnt up stuff? How exactly was that beneficial to God? It showed trust and allegiance. It showed God we could give back to him what he had given us, even if we claimed as ours.
Our sacrifice to God today looks much different. Jesus changed all that when he died for us. Jesus paid the price and became the sacrifice for all. That may mean we have forgiveness and an open door to God, but it doesn’t mean we stop giving back. I’ll ask again, what do we give back to God?
Take time to think on that and listen for God’s response. What else may he be wanting from us?
Let’s pray. Father God, I stand convicted today that I am not serving you with my whole being. There are gifts you have given me that are not being used to their fullest, and I am saddened. Please forgive me. Help me find a way to utilize everything you have given me so I can give back to you and serve others. Open the doors that need to be opened. Point me in the right direction when I don’t know which way to go. I want to live in your will and be honoring to you in all I say and do. Thank you for walking beside me and working inside me. It is a feeling I cannot describe, but I am overflowing and want to give back. Thank you, Jesus for all you’ve done for me. I bless your holy name in which I pray. Amen.
