Living in the Spirit

October 18, 2020

Scripture Reading:
Matthew 22:15-22

Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, ‘Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?’ But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, ‘Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.’ And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, ‘Whose head is this, and whose title?’ They answered, ‘The emperor’s.’ Then he said to them, ‘Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. –John Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton

The Pharisees were seeing Jesus as a threat to their power as they moved to entrap him, hoping he would lose favor with those who followed him. Jesus saw through their ploy, slyly sidestepping it. During this election season, we are being bombarded by half-truths, words taken out of context, changing their implications, and other distortions designed to capture our votes, whether the results are good for us or not.

Self-righteous power can never supersede divine power because divine power is fueled by love. Jesus lived love in all his actions, including going to the cross. In three weeks voting in this election will be over. On December 14, 2020, the Electoral College should finalize the vote. No matter the outcome, we need to start today, putting away those things that divide us and honing our ability to love one another, wanting the best for each other. We must work together to find common ground to provide for the Common Good. Amid COVID-19, we would be wise to move all those hot-button issues that divide us to the back burner and pursue those things upon which we can find the smallest of common ground. We might be surprised by how the positive outcomes of working together on important but less discordant issues might diminish those thorny ones which are so divisive.

Please join me today in praying for our nation’s future, listening for the Spirit’s guidance.

Prayer: Lord, create in us clean hearts and right spirits to hear and accept your guidance in seeking the Common Good. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.