“Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and give to God what belongs to God.”
-Matthew 22:21

Where do you see the face of Jesus?  Maybe it is turning the question around from the text, but isn’t turnabout fair play? The question is posed to Jesus asking if it is fair to pay taxes to the emperor and he returns with a question asking whose picture is on the coin and whose title?  So if it is the emperor who we are dealing in cash with, then it is to the emperor who the taxes on that currency should go to. But Jesus of course takes it a step further answering the question they didn’t ask and telling them also to give to God what is God’s.

For me it draws us into the question of where do we see the face of Jesus?  Because wouldn’t that be the place then that we give back to God what is God’s? Where do we encounter the face of Jesus; I sure hope that it is in the face of all the people that we encounter remembering that we are all made in the image of God.  I hope that when we find ourselves living in abundance we give to God in gratitude for all that he has given us.  I hope that when we see others in need we give out of our generosity and gratitude.  I hope that when we find ourselves in need we are able to receive help knowing that we too are open to receiving God through the gift of others.  I hope that we find ourselves just as amazed as those who encountered Jesus that day when we remember that all we have our possessions, our time, our talents are all from God and should be returned to God in blessings and thanksgiving.

-Pastor Carrie

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