Focus

Slow your breathing and become aware of the taking in and letting out of your breath. Focus on putting things aside so you will be open to what God is saying to you today.

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Read

Matthew 22:15-22 (NRSV)

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.

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Reflect

I wish I could answer questions like Jesus did! This passage makes me wonder about what is mine. Taxes belong to “the emperor.” What belongs to me? As I think about the world and all that is in it, I am convicted that it all belongs to God. Even I am God’s. We have superimposed systems of property ownership and economies of supply and demand, but really it is all God’s. We may subject ourselves, in part, to the systems under which we live, but we are in whole God’s property.

Our Confession of Faith encourages us in Section 6 to endeavor to advocate for change when our systems are unjust. It may seem we are talking about two different worlds—that of the empire and that of God—but we are working to bring them together to God’s beloved community. We must be careful not to fall prey to the rhetoric of our governments and impose economic labels upon Jesus’ teachings of God’s kin-dom. God’s economy is not capitalist or socialist or communist; it is enough.

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Pray

God, everything we have is yours. Help diminish our tendency to keep up with our neighbors in terms of worldly possessions. Help us notice the disenfranchised and catch a vision of what it means to have an economy of enough. Today, God, help us realize we are enough—without our possessions, our titles, our accolades. We are yours. May we give ourselves to you this day. Amen.

Go with God.