Discernment

Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s.”         Mark 12.17

The requirement to pay taxes to the Roman government may have seemed highly offensive to a number of the Jews. In His response to the opposition’s question, Jesus simplifies the situation. State obligations do not necessarily infringe on the believer’s obligations to God.

I see Jesus’ response as encouragement to look further into any situation where there may appear to be conflict between what I believe and what the world asks of me. It seems to me that Jesus saw no real conflict in paying Roman taxes. The religious leaders might have sought to cause dissension and unrest through this issue, which would clearly have been mischievous. 

Another aspect speaks to me in the area of my faith. I address this by adapting Jesus’ reply to: ‘Give to God what is God’s and to Satan what is Satan’s.’ In other words, don’t put on God the work of Satan.

I think the one word that is significant in respect to separating and understanding what is God’s as distinct to what is the world’s, and what is God’s as opposed to what is Satan’s, is the word discernment.

Oh, that I could discern truth as Jesus did!

Lord God,

I thank You for the insight I have gained today into the discernment that my Lord Jesus exercised. 

I ask also for discernment. Help me to distinguish between what is of the world and what is of You. Let me clearly see the difference between Your ways and the wiles of the devil. May I clearly see the difference and may I be able to assign to each the priority and importance relative to them.

Let me not place the things of the world before You in importance. May I always be able to see what is of the devil and to treat  it accordingly. Jesus did always what He thought You would have Him do. May I do likewise. I ask this in His holy and true name. Amen.

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