Yep! He means it!
"We know you are a man of integrity...." began the church leaders, as they tried to trick Jesus with a question about how to live in the society at that time. "You are not swayed by men because you pay no attention to who they are." (Matthew 22: 16) "So tell us then, what is your opinion...." and they go on to ask about paying taxes.
Paying taxes doesn't top the list of fun activities for anyone-- then or now. In Jesus' time, Caesar was in charge of the Roman Empire and everyone had to "render unto Caesar" or pay the consequences! To make matters worse, some of the government employees cheated and charged even more to line their own pockets. And the Jews didn't even run their own country--at least not politically.
And how does Jesus answer? I bet you know. He tells the church leaders to pay Caesar what is owed to him and his government, but don't forget to also give God what is His. Clever Jesus! He didn't fall into the trap of politics or government, but neither did He leave out the other part!
And we respond as those folks in His day probably did--"Really, Jesus, really?"
Nobody wanted to pay taxes, especially extra taxes. But did anyone really pause to think about the other part? The Gospel of Matthew's author, Matthew himself was a wealthy tax collector, but he also understood the part about giving God what was God's. He, Matthew, was God's and he gave up the prestige and position of a government official to become simply a humble follower of Jesus of Nazareth. Sounds lofty now, but who really knew who Jesus was then? No 24-hour news channels, blogs, or Tweets. And, Matthew hosted Jesus at his own home inviting the other despised tax collectors and Wall Street types, the other "sinners" that church officials criticized Jesus for dining with. The unclean.
What can the 'everyday Christian' learn from this that isn't already clear? Pay your taxes. That's not the point. The point is that we are to give to God what is His! A sermon on tithing? Now today. Don't look down on sinners, because you are one, too? We know that even though we don't act like it sometimes.
It's the man of integrity thing that strikes me as a new lesson all together. The church leaders defined man of integrity as one who isn't "swayed by men"; a man who "pays no attention to who" someone is or is not by our earthly standards.
Integrity is determined by what is on the inside; how we act when no one will know or see.
"In my integrity You uphold me and set me in Your presence forever." Psalm 41
Do we earn salvation and protection? Quid pro quo? No. Integrity is, or should be, our heart condition. Righteousness comes through grace from God alone. Godly integrity knows what to do and apologizes when falling short. How many of us, even Christians, yearn to be people of integrity as Scripture defines it? We are called to be like Jesus. Now there truly was a man of integrity. Even the blind Pharisees could tell, they just weren't men of integrity themselves.
So....."yes, Jesus, really!" Train my heart, increase my faith, equip me to be Your man or woman of integrity, because I owe my life to You.
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