And He said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s. Luke 20:25
During the years when my father was struggling to make a living on the farm, his brother would sometimes visit, and we were glad to see him. One day, after my uncle had left, my father laughed at how his brother had complained about the amount of income tax that he had to pay. My father declared, ‘I would be glad to be paying his income tax!’ I don’t think anybody enjoys paying taxes, but we have to admit that paying no income tax would mean we weren’t bringing in much money. Better to pay tax than starve. Rendering unto Caesar is a responsibility that represents temporal blessings. Rendering unto God is a responsibility that represents spiritual blessings.
Rendering unto Caesar is being honest, and is a good testimony for a Christian. The Lord Jesus paid taxes to Rome, even though He was the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. He did so to display a good testimony for Himself and for Peter. It’s the right thing to do, and we should not avoid our responsibility. But you and I hold dual citizenship. As Canadians, we have our responsibility to render unto our earthly Caesars. As citizens of Heaven, we have a responsibility to render unto God. To whom do we own the greatest allegiance? And to whom do we render the most?
We have no choice about what we render unto the local, provincial, and federal governments about us. The tax rates are set, and we pay accordingly. But how do we render to God? And how much? Firstly, our weekly offerings represent not only our duty but also our devotion. Unlike our taxes, we give out of a desire to give. Scripture guides us to give as God has prospered us, and as we see the need among God’s servants and His people. We render willingly and freely from our pocketbook. But we also render our time and our talents. God’s Assembly and the work of the Gospel provide ample room for us to get involved in active service for God. There is no shortage of need for prayer warriors, and for those who will visit the lonely and infirm. There are many openings for giving of ourselves as we render to God.
Our communities have many kind and helpful people who render unto Caesar willingly as they volunteer their time and abilities to help others. How much more should Christians be volunteers in the rendering of our selves to God! -Jim MacIntosh