"Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor." Romans 13:7
A few weeks ago our son asked my husband and I about what it meant to pay taxes. He's familiar with paying sales tax because we taught him at a very young age that the sticker price is never the final price for an item in a store. However, he wasn't sure what income taxes were.
We tried to break it down for him terms that a ten year old could understand and explained to him that whenever someone has a job, then a portion of the money they get paid has to go back to the government. We shared with him some of the things the government (both state and federal) does with the income tax money they receive.
I told him the age old adage about there being only two things in life that you HAVE to do: pay taxes and die! I shared that with him because I wanted him to realize that he didn't have a choice when it comes to paying taxes. The government is going to do their best to ensure that income earning citizens are paying their taxes as they are required to by law.
What had been a teachable moment in the realm of government and civic responsibilities then turned to a spiritual realm. I asked my son what was similar to paying taxes, but in terms of giving to God. He appropriately responded with, "Tithing." I was then able to explain to him that there is one very very big difference between paying your taxes and tithing.
Can you think of what it is?
Don't worry . . . he couldn't either!
The difference is that tithing off of your income is expected by God, but not required. Paying your taxes, on the other hand, is required and enforced. You can choose not to be a tither, but you don't have the luxury of choosing not to paying your taxes.
I was able to show him through this how gracious our God is. He doesn't exercise force, or intimidation, or authority to ensure that He receives what is rightfully due Him. Rather He gives us His Word that is filled with an abundance of wisdom and instruction on how our heart should willingly be open to giving to the work of the Lord and also the natural benefits that always seem to come from being a faithful giver.
Paul was no stranger to the subject of giving. Being a missionary, he depended on the generosity of his fellow Christians to sustain him. He spoke directly to the issue of taxes in our focal verse, but he then speaks to our hearts about giving generously to God in 2 Corinthians.
"Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:7
I'm sure you are very reluctant in writing a check to the United States Treasury should the occasion arise where you are left owing the government on your income taxes. Paul encourages us not to have that same attitude at all whenever we're giving to God or to someone in need. Rather, he says that our heart should be so compelled to give that we are overcome with joy and cheer.
I don't know where you stand on either of these areas, nor do I desire to, but I do know that Christ made it very clear where He stands. He believed in being civicly responsible with our money, as well as spiritually responsible.
"Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." Matt. 22:21b
Our loving and gracious God is not going to use force, coercion, or a special agency that will ensure that we give regularly and truthfully. We get the privilege of giving out of the gladness of our heart because He has truly blessed most of us with more than we need or deserve.
As you ponder your enforced obligation to the IRS today, take a moment to ponder where your heart stands on your gifts to God.
A few weeks ago our son asked my husband and I about what it meant to pay taxes. He's familiar with paying sales tax because we taught him at a very young age that the sticker price is never the final price for an item in a store. However, he wasn't sure what income taxes were.
We tried to break it down for him terms that a ten year old could understand and explained to him that whenever someone has a job, then a portion of the money they get paid has to go back to the government. We shared with him some of the things the government (both state and federal) does with the income tax money they receive.
I told him the age old adage about there being only two things in life that you HAVE to do: pay taxes and die! I shared that with him because I wanted him to realize that he didn't have a choice when it comes to paying taxes. The government is going to do their best to ensure that income earning citizens are paying their taxes as they are required to by law.
What had been a teachable moment in the realm of government and civic responsibilities then turned to a spiritual realm. I asked my son what was similar to paying taxes, but in terms of giving to God. He appropriately responded with, "Tithing." I was then able to explain to him that there is one very very big difference between paying your taxes and tithing.
Can you think of what it is?
Don't worry . . . he couldn't either!
The difference is that tithing off of your income is expected by God, but not required. Paying your taxes, on the other hand, is required and enforced. You can choose not to be a tither, but you don't have the luxury of choosing not to paying your taxes.
I was able to show him through this how gracious our God is. He doesn't exercise force, or intimidation, or authority to ensure that He receives what is rightfully due Him. Rather He gives us His Word that is filled with an abundance of wisdom and instruction on how our heart should willingly be open to giving to the work of the Lord and also the natural benefits that always seem to come from being a faithful giver.
Paul was no stranger to the subject of giving. Being a missionary, he depended on the generosity of his fellow Christians to sustain him. He spoke directly to the issue of taxes in our focal verse, but he then speaks to our hearts about giving generously to God in 2 Corinthians.
"Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:7
I'm sure you are very reluctant in writing a check to the United States Treasury should the occasion arise where you are left owing the government on your income taxes. Paul encourages us not to have that same attitude at all whenever we're giving to God or to someone in need. Rather, he says that our heart should be so compelled to give that we are overcome with joy and cheer.
I don't know where you stand on either of these areas, nor do I desire to, but I do know that Christ made it very clear where He stands. He believed in being civicly responsible with our money, as well as spiritually responsible.
"Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." Matt. 22:21b
Our loving and gracious God is not going to use force, coercion, or a special agency that will ensure that we give regularly and truthfully. We get the privilege of giving out of the gladness of our heart because He has truly blessed most of us with more than we need or deserve.
As you ponder your enforced obligation to the IRS today, take a moment to ponder where your heart stands on your gifts to God.
- Are you giving faithfully to the work of the Lord?
- Are you using the resources you've been blessed with (home, cars, assets) to glorify Him?
- Do you give out of obligation or with a glad and cheerful heart?
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