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Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 7:03 pm Post subject: Essays of Renaldo Visione - The Coin |
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"Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
The Pharisees posed to Jesus a question about whether it was lawful to pay tax to the emperor or not. The Pharisees asked the question with the intention of tricking Jesus into a statement of sedition against the Romans or a statement in violation of Jewish law. But Jesus’ response was to ask those assembled about how the tax was paid. When presented with a Roman coin, Jesus asked whose head was on the coin. The response was, “Caesar.”
Jesus replied, “Then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, but give to God what is God’s.” (Mark 12:17 and Luke 20:25) And there in lies the question; do we give to God what is God’s? What exactly are we to give to God? The question is different for each of us as we all have been given different gifts in which we can serve God. Romans 12:6 tells us, “Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us exercise them….”
We are not all called to be clergy or missionaries. Blessed are those who are, but blessed are those who are called to all of God’s vocations. Each vocation has a service to the will of God. The question for each of us, then, is what use do we make of the gifts that God has given? Do we understand what gifts we have? Do we understand what we should do with them?
We use our gifts through our works. The question is whether our works serve God. Do we know the ways that we serve God? Maybe it is in simple ways; maybe it is simply in kindness to others, helping the children of God who are in need. Maybe it is teaching children in the ways of the Lord. Maybe it is singing to exhort praise to the Lord. Maybe it is by giving resources so that others can help others.
The ways we can serve the Lord are many. Still, when called, do we always respond? We must ask ourselves, what purpose do our works serve?
In James 2:14 we are asked, “What good is it, my brothers if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,’ but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
If we have the opportunity to serve the Lord, do we always serve? Sometimes I respond and at other times I do not. I do not always recognize where I have failed to respond to God’s call. Sometimes I recognize what I have done or failed to do after the opportunity has passed. What then, can I do? Perhaps I can learn and perhaps the next opportunity I have I will respond as God would hope.
The question, though, is how many opportunities will I be given? It is not something I can know, for I will not know the time or hour when the opportunities shall be over. How then, can I pass up the opportunities the Lord presents? But then, do I recognize each opportunity that the Lord provides? Perhaps I can pray for the wisdom to know. Perhaps I can simply ask each day, what can I do to be in service of the Lord? Perhaps I can look into the Word and seek the guidance of the Lord so that I can know how best to demonstrate my faith through works.
Renaldo Visione
© by Renaldo Visione, all rights reserved. Printed at the Guardian Angel Store with permission.
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