Thought for Today
Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and for evermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. (RSV)
Matthew 22:17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?" . . . 21 Then he said to them, "Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's." (NRS)
You probably are aware, our government is shut down. Look all around today, the air is still turned on, the sun came up this morning, the Interstate was still a congested mess during rush hour. Despite all of the dire warnings from all of the prognosticators and politicians, having our government shut down for a few hours . . . or even days is not the unmitigated disaster they have foretold. Yes, there will be inconveniences. There will be important tasks left unfinished. At least until the grownups bring some common sense to bear in Washington and stop all of the political posing and posturing. Eventually, calmer voices will be heard and some rationality will be applied.
The relationship between faith and government is a fragile and sometimes fraught one. There are Constitutional protections, the so-called Establishment Clause, “in United States law, the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, together with that Amendment's Free Exercise Clause, form the constitutional right of freedom of religion. The Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause together read: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...” (en.wikipedia.org)
Historically, the efforts of governments to interfere with or control religion have universally proved disastrous. Sometimes more calamitous for the government; sometimes more calamitous for the religion; never ultimately successful. A prime example is that the Mayflower set sail from England to escape governmental interference in how worship was conducted (yes, grossly simplified, but fairly accurate). The ‘hot mess’ which is the current Middle East is at least in part due to the comingling of religion and government.
While the individual lives of people of faith in the U.S.A. may well be inconvenienced by this current governmental shutdown, the practice of the multiplicity of faiths in the U.S.A. will go on unimpeded. The air will still be turned on, the sun will still come up each morning, the Interstate will still be a congested mess during rush hour.
Governments are important. Stable, safe societies require some form of government, some degree of regulation. Humans seem unable to live together without laws, rules, regulations and some form of enforcement of them all. Regrettably, that requires money and money is raised by taxation. Jesus understood the need for both government and taxation. Jesus also understood the need to keep life in perspective. "Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's." Today, in the U.S.A. and elsewhere, we can read that as ‘Give to the government the things . . . ‘
Our Christian faith does not absolve us from the duties and obligations owed to our government. As members of our society, there are things which are ‘the government’s.’ Christians, just like everyone else, have a duty to pay taxes, to obey civil laws, to abide by the rules and obligations of our nation.
Our Christian faith, however, calls us to other, more important duties and obligations, “the things that are God's." Jesus summarized those things with, “Luke 10:27 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."
The air is still turned on, the sun came up this morning, the Interstate was still a congested mess during rush hour. Government shutdown or not, Christians are still called to love God with all we are and have. Christians are still commanded to love our neighbors. First things always come first.
Stay safe, love, trust God,
Pastor Ray