Tax Day

"Then He said to them, 'Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's'." Matthew 22:21 (NIV)

I thought since today was tax day for the millions of Americans that this verse was fitting. I grew up in a household consumed with income tax "season" which usually ran from around January 15 to April 15 every year. My mom is a tax preparer and a darn fine one, if I may say. My three sisters work with her and they fill out thousands of income tax returns in just a couple of months. The ominous date of April 15 was both a blessing and a curse in our home. It was the impending doom of not having all the on hand returns completed that then needed extensions and also the relief that maybe you might be able to sleep until 7 AM and have a cup of coffee on the back porch and enjoy the outdoors for a few minutes. It was always interesting how Easter and tax day were so closely linked on the calendar. People tend to think we pay taxes on April 15 and pay our respects to God on Easter. Our congregation doubled last Sunday in our church. But that is not really what this post is about so I digress...

The Pharisees sent word to Jesus with the intention to "trap him in his words." They said "we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are. Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" (Matthew 22:16-17) Well, they got the first part right! Jesus was a man of integrity and he was not swayed by men. He spoke the ultimate truth about everything since he could not lie. Their trap failed them and Jesus taught us, and them, an important lesson. Pay to Caesar (or the government) what is Caesar's and give to God what is God's. For nothing that we own or have on this earth really matters anyway, for it is fleeting and has no bearing on our eternal existence. Job says "be careful that no one entices you by riches" (36:18). It is Satan who is "the prince of this world." (John 16:11) So Jesus said pay taxes for it is the right thing to do. He also said give to "God what is God's." That, my friend, would be our heart and our soul. Jesus said "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." (Mark 12:30) For today we pay to Caesar what is Caesar's, but for eternity we give to God what is God's. That is our praise and glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Remember to give to God what is God's every day, not just on that one special day of the year.