“SO GOD CREATED MAN IN HIS OWN IMAGE; IN THE IMAGE OF GOD HE CREATED HIM; MALE AND FEMALE HE CREATED THEM.” —GENESIS 1:27
“There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal,” C.S. Lewis said.
Your neighbor, friends, co-workers, family, and even those whose lives are not up to your standards or approval; not one of them, no matter how famous or obscure, godly, wicked, or seemingly insignificant, is an unimportant common person.
The Pharisees, religious leaders of Jesus’ time, continually laid plans to trap Jesus with His own words.
“Teacher,” they said one day, “we know that you are a man of integrity
…Tell us then…Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”
Jesus knew exactly what they were up to. “Show me the coin used for paying taxes,” He responded.
When they handed Him a coin, He asked, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
Well, that settled it. “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s,” Jesus said. It was obvious whose face was on the coin (Matthew 22:15-22).
Then He said to give to God, what? What is God’s. Where did God put His face and His image?
On us! His creation, His children, people with faults, weaknesses, and sins, are being loved and renewed by our heavenly Father.
There is our sin, and then there is God’s grace, which restores us to His image—not the shiny one on a coin, but conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).
I believe that was Jesus’ point all along. Give Him your heart, soul, and mind, and let Him continue the good work He began in your life.
In this season of gift-giving, give God what belongs to Him. You.
