Priorities

 

 Matthew 22:15-21

 Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar

¹⁵ Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. ¹⁶ They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. ¹⁷ Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax^[a] to Caesar or not?”

¹⁸ But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? ¹⁹ Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, ²⁰ and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

²¹ “Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

Again this famous exchange with the Pharisees and Herodians challenges us to visit our own priorities. Do we, can we give to God what is his and to "Caesar" what is his?  A question that ever causes us to pause and examine our use of material goods and whatever "wealth" is at our disposal, even our personality gifts and talents. Being selfish with or hoarding these assets is not the ideal, but using them to honor God and sharing them with our neighbor is what we are called to do.It's easy to slip away from this ideal, so we need to step back from time to time to examine our priorities and behaviors, and make adjustments accordingly.  Hence, our task for this Lord's Day.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help me to give you your due and to my neighbor, what is his. Amen.