Matthew 22:18-22

“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.’” vs. 21

Just when the Pharisees thought their “gotcha” was going to work, Jesus turned the tables on them again. His response to their question was brilliant, and they could do nothing but creep away shaking their heads. Later, as they reconvened they may have wondered what his enigmatic statement meant. The words imply a simple division of allegiances: give to the emperor the things of the emperor and to God the things of God. 

We don’t know if the Pharisees ever figured out what Jesus meant. But believers long ago figured out that the second part of his statement raises an important question. Just what are the things that are God’s? To put it in another way, is there anything that does not belong to God? While answers to that question can vary, people of faith will be bound to answer that all they are and all that they have belongs to God, and there are no exceptions. 

Since that’s the only possible answer for the faithful, it’s stunning to observe how many believers act as though everything that they have belongs to them and them alone. They resist taxes and avoid contributions, as though one day they are going to be judged by how much they have amassed in their financial portfolios. It’s as though they have never learned what it means to be a good and faithful steward.

Thought for the Day: What is the basis of my stewardship?