Daily Devotions based on the Sermon Series: “Timely Teaching for Turbulent Times”
Week 6 of 6: “The Impact of Citizenship!”
Full Sunday message: CONTEMPORARY or TRADITIONAL
THIS WEEK: GOVERNMENT…Servants of God!
Death and taxes.
Some would say these are the only two certainties in life.
Kind of morbid when you think about it.
So if these are “inevitable events” of life, perhaps a different perspective make them both more palatable…should I even suggest exciting? (You decide if that’s an overstatement!)
Let’s deal quickly with death. Because of sin, death is real and will happen unless Jesus returns first. However, for a follower of Jesus, it is not an event to fear. Death, while an end to our time on earth, is the first day we get to experience heaven. Remember and hold on to Jesus’ promise: John 11:25-26 “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
But what about taxes? Is there a positive way to view this reality?
Let’s review.
Every government exists because it has been established by God. Therefore every government is under the authority of God, whether they realize it or not. Because they are under the authority of God, they are God’s servants to be a blessing to those who do good and God’s servants to be agents of wrath to those who do wrong. They have a job to carry out, again whether they realize it or not, given to them by God.
So, to support God’s servants who give their full time to governing, we pay taxes.
Romans 13:6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing.
What changes if you start thinking of your taxes as an exercise of faith that supports God’s servants? At times it is hard to see this because governing officials don’t always carry out their God given responsibilities or do it as we wish they would. However, governing officials are accountable to God for the way they govern and we are responsible for the way we support God’s servants…with our taxes.
We also have a responsibility to honor and respect those in authority. We may not agree with them on policy, but again we do it not because we agree, but because we recognize they are God’s servants.
Romans 13:7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
Believe me, this doesn’t come easy for me. It is easy to complain, be rude, or insulting to governing officials I don’t align with. Perhaps you struggle with the same. Lord, forgive me and help me to honor you by honoring and respecting those you have allowed to be in authority over me.
Apply: What blessings have you received from governing officials that you support through the paying of your taxes? To what official do you struggle to show respect? Ask the Lord for strength to show respect, even if you don’t agree or in how you choose to disagree.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for our governing officials. Forgive me for complaining about and being disrespectful to them. As I pay taxes and show respect, let me remember that these are your servants through whom you intend to bless me. AMEN.