“So they watched him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor.” Luke 20:20 ESV
Reflection: what do you consider belonging to you? That you own?
I remember very well buying our first house. It was such an amazing, and also surreal feeling to unlock the door, walk in and try to grasp that all of this was ours. It felt so huge, as we had been living in apartments through our university years and first part of our marriage. Of course as the mortgage payments came month after month, I eventually realized that the house really didn’t belong to us. It belonged to the bank. We were sort of “renters”, and could live there, as long as we made our payments. We would own the house in 30 years – it felt like a lifetime away.
Let me be clear, I am a huge proponent for purchasing a house, of home ownership, and very thankful to banks for helping families to get into a house even if it takes 30 years to pay it off. But the question that the religious leaders used to try to trick Jesus, to trap him in his own words, totally backfired on them. Let’s read it, “So they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?”” Luke 20:21-22 ESV
It is a good question, and even a current topic of today as many feel we should abolish IRS and not pay taxes; at least pay a lot less. Since the question came from the religious leaders to Jesus, they might even have had a thought that the money given to Caesar in taxes should go to God instead, which really meant going to them, greedy as they were. But Jesus knew they were trying to trick him, and the response from him was, as usual, unexpected. He said, ““Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?” They said, “Caesar’s.” He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”” Luke 20:24-25 ESV
What belongs to God.
Do you see anything missing from his answer? The people, right ? He basically says some things are of the world, and therefore belongs to the world which is represented by “Caesar”. And then some things are of God, and belongs to God. What the world created, and what God created. That is such an amazing thought to consider. Because we tend to get so focused on possessions, to increase what we own. To grow our wealth in earthly things. I do believe God blesses us with all sorts of things, even while in this world. But it very easily becomes our focus, to “own” more things. A bigger house. Perhaps a second house. A new car, or a second car. You know what I mean.
So, consider all your assets for a moment, what do you own?
Interestingly, Jesus did actually tell us to build up a treasure chest of possessions. ““Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21 ESV