God’s or Caesar’s?
Happy are those who consider the poor;
The Lord delivers them in the day of trouble. Psalm 41:1
Read Matthew 22:15—22
I get the feeling that on this walk I am with Jesus he never stops asking me another question. I never get there. I never get the settled answer. It is a journey to take, a walk to walk, and a question to pursue. I’m looking at that coin he’s holding. It has Caesar’s head on it. I see that. But it makes me think of everything I have, everything around me. It all has God’s signature on it, God’s imprint, God’s stamp of ownership. So even what is Caesar’s won’t cease to be God’s. There’s nothing I have that I can somehow quarantine from God and say that it’s not God’s. So I pray about these things. I’ll always be praying about how to put God’s things to God’s use.
Gracious God, my provider, I thank you for all things I have at your hand, and for all powers and authorities that you allow to help order human society. Thank you for the benefit that comes to me when we have good government and a tax system that resources the common good. For health care and education and a system of justice, pensions and security services, the ordering of production and working conditions and transport and the protection of minorities. I thank you for these things that have been inspired by your word, by the provision you prescribed among your Biblical people, and the witness they have left for all people. In all these matters lead my way to honour God and provide for my neighbour.