“But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me?... Then he told them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” Mark 12:17 (NIV)
In a recent conversation with my son, he told us about a new car he would buy. He told us his girlfriend's parents, who owned the car, would help him buy the vehicle and make payments. However, we quickly realized they had underestimated the car's value so he would not have to pay so many taxes. When I realized the duplicitous nature with which he was getting this car, we first had a slightly unpleasant conversation. I challenged him to ask himself if God would honor him by not paying the total taxes owed on that car.
I explained that throughout my life, I have always worked for everything. I never had anyone give me a handout, and I had to work for anything I wanted in life. Because of this, I had to be honest about paying taxes and other money to the government and other loan holders. This made me an honest person, and I don’t regret doing the right thing, even when a shortcut would have helped me financially.
He quickly rationalized and said that because he wasn't undervaluing the vehicle, it was okay, and God would bless it. This seemed odd, considering he would want us to be honest about everything. I didn't change his mind. Still, I did challenge him to think about the duplicitous nature with which he was getting his car. He thought about it, and ultimately, he bought the car anyway. Later, he told me that the person at the registration booth said he might have to pay the right amount of taxes because it was clear a car worth that much would not be sold for that little money. It looks like God taught him a lesson in honesty.
Jesus always wants us to pay everyone. God honors those who are honest and pay what is fair. In Matthew 22, the Pharisees tried to trap Jesus in his words. They wanted to see if he would be a man of integrity, as they had heard he was. They asked him whether people should pay Caesar the imperial tax. It is interesting to note that many times throughout the gospel, it says Jesus wanted everyone to pay what was owed to the government and God.
Throughout the Bible, people tried to get away with not paying the total amount of what was owed to people. Because money has a way of chipping away at what’s really going on in people’s hearts, it's easy to become stingy or dishonest when dealing with it. Our human nature defaults to wanting to be greedy and keep money for ourselves. This happened with Ananias and Sapphira, among many others throughout the Bible. Just like in the Book of Acts, God did not honor Ananias and Sapphira’s dishonest nature in holding back some of their offerings.
In the same way, Jesus does not honor us when we choose to be greedy and not give people what is owed to them. In the same way, I was upset with my son for not giving the total amount of taxes for that car. I just wanted him to pay an honest wage and set an example of Christ through his behavior. Some people don't realize they're dishonest because their hearts are in the right place. However, other people willfully do things for dishonest gain. Jesus never honors us when we are dishonest in our dealings with others. No matter what we do, God knows the intention of our hearts. God will judge us as we give an account to him on Judgment Day.
Father, help us by guiding us in our intentions. May you help us be honest and honorable in all our dealings. When we are struggling, may you give us the strength to fulfill our financial obligations, even when it's difficult. Let us have faith that you will provide for us in need. May we always remember that everything we have is a gift from you. Amen.
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Michelle S. Lazurek is a multi-genre award-winning author, speaker, pastor's wife, and mother. She is a literary agent for Wordwise Media Services and a certified writing coach. Her new children’s book Hall of Faith encourages kids to understand God can be trusted. When not working, she enjoys sipping a Starbucks latte, collecting 80s memorabilia, and spending time with her family and her crazy dog. For more info, please visit her website www.michellelazurek.
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