A New Devotion - In the Image of God

Here's a new devotion that I wrote. You can find a recording of this devotion at the bottom of the page.

Luke 20:19-26

When the scribes and chief priests realized that he had told this parable against them, they wanted to lay hands on him at that very hour, but they feared the people.

So they watched him and sent spies who pretended to be honest, in order to trap him by what he said, so as to hand him over to the jurisdiction and authority of the governor. So they asked him, "Teacher, we know that you are right in what you say and teach, and you show deference to no one, but teach the way of God in accordance with truth. Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?" But he perceived their craftiness and said to them, "Show me a denarius. Whose head and whose title does it bear?" They said, "The emperor's." He said to them, "Then give to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's." And they were not able in the presence of the people to trap him by what he said; and being amazed by his answer, they became silent.

In the Image of God

Historically, we Americans have always valued our independence, and that’s the case even when it’s not in our personal interest to do so. I mean, in one way or another, we’ve been shaped by rugged individualism: the pioneer moving across country, the biker hitting Route 66, the person from the mail room who winds up owning the company. We like to see ourselves standing strong, captains of our own fate and masters of our own destinies. 

Of course, there’s a couple problems with this vision. First, most people who stand alone, die alone. And I think we all know that, when trying to solve a problem, two heads really are better than one. In other words, friends and family can take some sting out of a difficult job. That’s one problem.

But the second issue may be more important. If we believe Jesus Christ, our individual independence is a myth, and we owe the one who owns us. And that’s the point of the illustration he gave. I mean, just like we should be paying our taxes because our currency bears the image of American leaders, we owe God ourselves, our heads and hands and hearts, because we bear his image. You see, whether or not we acknowledge it, we really do belong to God, therefore, we have a responsibility to live the kind of lives God has called and equipped us to live, lives that reflect love for him and for one another.