Proper Citizenship

Luke 20

20 Watching for their opportunity, the leaders sent spies pretending to be honest men. They tried to get Jesus to say something that could be reported to the Roman governor so he would arrest Jesus. 21 “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you speak and teach what is right and are not influenced by what others think. You teach the way of God truthfully. 22 Now tell us—is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
23 He saw through their trickery and said, 24 “Show me a Roman coin.[a] Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
25 “Well then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”
26 So they failed to trap him by what he said in front of the people. Instead, they were amazed by his answer, and they became silent.

This is one of my favorite Gospel passages. It reminds me that I owe to the government what belongs to the government, and that I owe to God what belongs to God. Since I was bought with a price (Jesus’ Blood), I belong to God first and foremost. It honors God when I am a good citizen of the country in which I live, but it honors God more when I am a good citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven. May my life reflect that heavenly citizenship always.