Pay your taxes ...

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Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority. -Romans 13:6-7 NLT

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Yesterday I wrote of how it is sometimes necessary to prophetically oppose governmental authority. I want to look at the flip side today and write about how we are called to respect and submit to the governmental authority. In these verses Paul speaks to us about the ways that we render such respect by paying taxes and giving money to a government that we might not agree with. He says that governmental workers should be paid because they too are serving God.

This reminds me of how Jesus paid his taxes with a coin miraculously found in a fish. In that gospel passage he told his disciples to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. In paying his taxes Jesus showed respect for the government and gave us an example of how we should submit to human authority. Jesus also commended a widow who gave all she had at the temple and showed us how we should honor God.

Keep us dear Lord from the love of money. Help us to respect and honor the authority we are under by paying taxes.

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