Ownership. The question to Jesus from the Pharisee was, ‘should I pay taxes to the government?’ The simple answer was, ‘yes’, but Jesus gave a broader application. “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” (Mark 12:17). Not only was the question a chance to trap Jesus in his words, it could also be motivated by a desire to cling to money. Given the Jewish frustration concerning Roman oppression, disagreement with a variety of government policies and a sense of religious entitlement, it would be easy for them to make a case to refrain from paying taxes. However, Jesus affirmed the simple (but very difficult to practice) principle of submitting to authority: pay taxes to the government as required. But a more significant issue is beyond money; it involves giving one’s whole self to God. Jesus refused to trivialize; what matters to God is people. He wants and deserves that which he has created in his image. We do not have the right to withhold ourselves from him; we belong to him both by creation and redemption. He owns you. He has a claim on everybody! But God has given each person the opportunity to choose him (though he has already chosen all who respond). We are to encourage all people to give themselves to the God who has created them and redeemed them. How have you progressively ‘given’ yourself to God?

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