Just Pennies?

Then he said to them, 

"Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s

and to God the things that are God’s.”

When they heard this, they were amazed,

and they left him and went away.

(from Mt.22:15-22)

Reflecting on this passage, reminded me of an old can of pennies sitting in a drawer in our home.

Every so often, we'd toss in a few more coins.

The can slowly filled until it became surprisingly heavy, yet we rarely paid much attention to it.

The pennies on it are easy to overlook.

They slip between couch cushions, collect dust in drawers, and often seem too small to matter.

With recent discussions about eliminating the penny, I couldn't help but wonder if many people would even miss it.

In Matthew 22, the Pharisees and Herodians, two opposing forces united against Jesus, try trapping Jesus with a question about paying taxes to Caesar.

It seems innocent enough, but they believe they have cornered Jesus.

If He supports the tax, He risks losing favor with the people.

If He opposes it, He could find Himself in trouble with the Roman authorities.

But Jesus refuses to be trapped.

Holding up a coin, Jesus says, “Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

With those words, Jesus shifts the conversation from politics to something much deeper: identity.

Jesus takes an ordinary coin and uses it to reveal an extraordinary truth.

The coin mattered because it bore Caesar’s image.

We matter because we bear God’s image.

That truth changes everything.

Our value is not determined by our accomplishments, our opinions, or where we stand on the issues of the day.

We belong to God.

Perhaps this passage is less about taxes and more about trust.

When the world around us feels chaotic and full of anxiety, will we choose to stand firm in our divine calling and remember whose we are?

By God's grace, I believe we can.