“They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.””
Matthew 22:21 NKJV
Render to G-d the things that are G-d’s – what an interesting thought, especially leading into midterm elections. While I absolutely believe we should exercise our duty to vote, I believe that ultimately my loyalty is not to a candidate or a political party, but rather to the Kingdom of G-d. In this passage, we see that He teaches us to both pay what is owed to Caesar – in other words, be a good citizen and obey the law of the land, and to pay to G-d what is His. But-what does that mean exactly? What is “His”?
I believe He gives us insight into what is His just a few verses later when He answers the question of the greatest commandment:
“Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.””
Matthew 22:37-40 NKJV
His description is one of total surrender – all of our heart, all of our mind, and all of our thoughts. He is after our whole being – all of our attention, affection, and adoration. And from that posture of surrender, we love those around us unselfishly. It’s easy to envision the person “next door” as our neighbor but in reality my neighbor is anyone outside of myself – my husband and children, my parents and extended family, my colleague and coworkers, and, yes, the neighbor next door.
As we enter the midterms as a people divided, may we be ever mindful where our loyalty should reside. Vote, yes, but don’t be so loyal to “Caesar” that it eclipses the loving G-d and loving our neighbor. May our love for Him be a force that unites us, bridging the divide across aisles and opinions.
Father – thank You for Your guiding hand. Help me to love You more. You are good and You keep doing good. Your leadership in my life is perfect and You can be trusted. Amen.
Daily Reading: Matthew 22, Mark 12
November 4, 2022