“Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” (Luke 20:25)

     The Pharisees were undeterred in their pursuit to find cause for finding fault with Jesus, asking him a question about the lawfulness of paying taxes to Caesar.  The issue was about more than money—it was about loyalty.  The religious elite tried to catch Jesus valuing loyalty to Caesar (paying the tax) over loyalty to God (avoiding the tax).  But Jesus explained that we show loyalty to God by submitting ourselves to governing authorities, knowing that our ultimate loyalty to God extends to every area of life, including our finances and earthly citizenship.  This helps us to keep our priorities straight. 

Prayer: Dear Lord, give me the gift of discernment regarding anything that might compromise my loyalty to you.  I trust you to reveal the right thing to do whenever I am faced with making a difficult decision.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.