Dearest e-votees-
This week’s gospel text has the leaders trying to trip up Jesus in his words. In the exchange Jesus reminds them that God’s claims on our lives trump the world’s claims on us.
May we all know that God loves us, claims us and calls us into glorious and gracious expectations well beyond those of the world.
Peace,
Karl
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Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” They answered, “The emperor’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.
Matthew 22:15-22, NRSV
I got that e-mail again that tells me that I should boycott any money that is produced that doesn’t bear the phrase “In God We Trust”. I can’t remember how many times I have seen that one. Somehow it has been decided that we should shun money that doesn’t directly lay claim to our relationship with God. That seems perhaps well-intentioned but misguided.
Rather than worry about the exterior labels on things we use we should worry about our own interior attitudes. When we look at things it should be as if we are looking through contact lenses that have “This is God’s, too.” etched in the surface. That way no matter where we looked we would be reminded that everything we have—every possession, every moment, every breath, every hope, every joy and everything else all come from the hands of our gracious God. God cares how we use them all.
There is no problem with us living in the world and giving the emperor what is due. But as we pay taxes and cast votes and serve in our community and interact with our neighbors we should be looking through those lenses that remind us that God trumps all of these worldly interactions. That God wants to shape these worldly interactions. That God wants to shape us through these worldly interactions.
God, help us give everyone their due today. Help us love others as we would want to be loved ourselves. Help us to love you with all our hearts and all our souls and all our minds and all of our strength. Help us give you your due this day. Amen.
This week’s gospel text has the leaders trying to trip up Jesus in his words. In the exchange Jesus reminds them that God’s claims on our lives trump the world’s claims on us.
May we all know that God loves us, claims us and calls us into glorious and gracious expectations well beyond those of the world.
Peace,
Karl
-----------------
Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” They answered, “The emperor’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.
I got that e-mail again that tells me that I should boycott any money that is produced that doesn’t bear the phrase “In God We Trust”. I can’t remember how many times I have seen that one. Somehow it has been decided that we should shun money that doesn’t directly lay claim to our relationship with God. That seems perhaps well-intentioned but misguided.
Rather than worry about the exterior labels on things we use we should worry about our own interior attitudes. When we look at things it should be as if we are looking through contact lenses that have “This is God’s, too.” etched in the surface. That way no matter where we looked we would be reminded that everything we have—every possession, every moment, every breath, every hope, every joy and everything else all come from the hands of our gracious God. God cares how we use them all.
There is no problem with us living in the world and giving the emperor what is due. But as we pay taxes and cast votes and serve in our community and interact with our neighbors we should be looking through those lenses that remind us that God trumps all of these worldly interactions. That God wants to shape these worldly interactions. That God wants to shape us through these worldly interactions.
God, help us give everyone their due today. Help us love others as we would want to be loved ourselves. Help us to love you with all our hearts and all our souls and all our minds and all of our strength. Help us give you your due this day. Amen.
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