“‘Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?’ They said, ‘Caesar’s.’ He said to them, ‘Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’” – Luke 20:24-25
In a highly politicized time, this is a good reminder of what is ultimate and what isn’t. The enemies of Jesus wanted to trap Him using a question of taxation. They thought they could reduce Jesus to a rebel or a collaborator and thereby end His earthly effectiveness. Instead, Jesus pointed them upward when their minds could only think about the politics, powers, and considerations of the world.
Those things marked with the image of the earthly ruler??? Jesus basically said, “who cares?” Give anything and everything stamped with the image of earthly power to the earthly powers and don’t think any more about them. But as for what’s stamped with the image God??? As for YOU, image bearer??? Give everything of yourself over to the Lord!!!
Whether you’re delighted or destroyed by recent election results, or anything in between, don’t let them define you or destroy you. You belong to God. You carry His image. Render to God what is God’s — that’s you! Don’t grip the things of the earth too tightly. They can go to the powers of the earth, if need be. Devote yourself to the Lord. Give Him everything of yourself. Respond to God’s grace and mercy by making yourself a living sacrifice every single day (Romans 12:1). Resist the temptation to crawl off the altar today. Give yourself fully to God and His Kingdom. In the process, you’ll discover that the earthly things won’t move you nearly so much. #FollowJesus