“He said to them, ‘Then give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Luke 20:25

Serving God

Looking at the newly paved street in front of my house certainly took the sting out of paying my property taxes this year, and it made me realize how much we receive for our tax dollars. We have on call police and fire protection, winter plowing, good schools, and a stable government to name just a few. And so we must respect the governing authorities and pay the taxes it demands. In the days of the Roman Empire the people protested the heavy taxation demanded by the state. But those same taxes improved life for everybody. The roads were passable, and travel was safe, there was the Pax Romana, the Roman Peace, an impartial government, and much more. The coinage in Jesus’ time had the image of Caesar on it, and thus it belonged to Caesar. But we are made in the image of God and so we belong to God. But what is it like to belong to God? It means loving God with all our hearts and souls, loving and serving one another, showing mercy, and using our God-given gifts to serve all of humanity, and when we do this we become instruments of God’s grace.

gracedeacon@gwi.net


Comments are not available on this story.

filed under: