Repay to God what belongs to God

In the Gospel According to Mark, Jesus encountered Pharisees and Herodians who attempted to ensnare Him with a question about money.  “Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?”  If Jesus had said, “No,” then He would be guilty of treason.  If He said, “Yes,” then He’d be looked upon as a collaborator with the occupation forces, one who wouldn’t stand up for God and God’s people.  Jesus changed the focus of the discussion.  Asking for a coin, He said, “Whose image and inscription is this?” “Caesar’s,” they answered.  Jesus responded, “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” (Mark 12:13-17)

The image of Caesar belongs to Caesar.  The image of God belongs to God.  What has God’s image on it?  Every one of us!  We’ve been made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26)!  Jesus pointed out that we must pay the rightful owner whatever belongs to them.   Then pay that back to God, Jesus says.

You know, if I had the opportunity to ask Jesus a question, I would hope it wouldn’t be a trick question.  The Pharisees missed an incredible opportunity.  Instead of asking Christ a meaningful question, they tried to trick him.  They weren’t sincere—it had become a contest, and they wanted to win.

I once watched a debate between two men about the existence of God.  Both were highly intelligent and seemed very sincere.  However, it didn’t take long for me to realize that the debate wasn’t about God.  It wasn’t about finding the truth.  It was about establishing who was the smarter of the two - who could win the debate.  It seemed so fruitless.

If we had the opportunity to talk to someone about God, why would we want to turn it into a contest?  Why not attempt to find the truth, to try to make the other person’s life better?  Knowing Jesus doesn’t make us better than them.  Knowing Jesus just makes our life better.

It’s so easy for our focus to move from Christ to the world.  If the focus is on the world, we’ll be worried about winning.  If the focus is on the world, even if we win, we’ll only receive what the world has to offer.

I can think of no greater gift than to introduce someone to Christ.  And yet sometimes we approach non-believers like we’re entering some kind of contest.  Can we trick someone into a relationship with Christ?  If my goal is to simply win the debate game, will my opponent see Christ in me?

I watched some YouTube videos recently that were about the Special Olympics.  To be honest, sometimes it was painful to watch.  Young men and women with physical and mental disabilities were struggling down the track.  And yet the expression of joy on their faces was unmistakable.  They loved the race.  It was so pure and clean.  No one-upmanship.  No thinking they were better than everyone else.  Just joy.

This is the way it should be.  As the body of Christ, this is how we should be.  When we tell someone we’re Christian, what’s the image that comes to their mind?  Someone who’s legalistic and judgmental?  A Pharisee out to trick them?  Someone who looks down on him/her?  Someone who cares only about winning or someone who is loving and compassionate?  When we meet someone who doesn’t believe, how do we view them - as ignorant, a problem, a burden?  Or as another child of God who is searching, just like us.  Or as an opportunity to serve?  

When a non-believer has harsh words for us, we face a choice.  If we respond in kind, we have to realize that our harsh words can cause temporary pain but may also have eternal consequences.  When we meet a non-believer, we really should ask, “What would Jesus do?”