If I handed you an item and asked you to tell me who it belongs it, you would immediately start looking for a name, symbol, or marking to help you identify who owns it. When someone loses a wallet or purse at an amusement park they are told to come to the office and describe it. They want to know if you actually own it.
We all understand ownership. We have names on documents, logos on products, tags on clothing and they all answer the same question: Who does this belong to? Jesus takes that same question and applies it to something far more important than physical stuff. He applies it to our hearts and lives. We can learn a few things here from Jesus’ teaching.
First, Jesus is reminding us that God owns everything. Jesus is asked about paying taxes. He responds, “Give, then, to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (v. 21). The coin bears Caesar’s image so it belongs to Caesar. But this statement implies something far deeper. We bear God’s image (Genesis 1:27), therefore, we belong to God. Jesus quickly moves the conversation from money to identity.
The issue at hand is not just what we give, but who we are. Every human life bears the imprint of its Creator. So, the question for us is, are we giving God what is His — our whole life? Or are we holding something back?
The second principle we see is that God commands everything. Jesus says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart …” (v. 37). Then, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (v. 39). Jesus is reminding us that God doesn’t just deserve our lives, He directs our lives. True and faithful honor is expressed through love and complete devotion. It’s like a marriage. Real love is not an occasional feeling, rather ongoing, wholehearted commitment. Is our love for God wholehearted or do we compartmentalize it to certain areas?
If we bring both of these passages together we are reminded that God defines everything. The coin answers the question of ownership and the command answers the question of devotion. Together they show that honoring God is not about isolated actions, but it is about a life fully surrendered. We like to divide life into categories. Some things are spiritual and some things are secular.
Jesus removes the distinction. Every part of life belongs to God. When we step into following God we are not just renting a room of our life to Him, we are signing over the entire house. So, then, the question becomes, “What areas of my life am I still trying to control?” What would it look like to honor God in every decision, in every relationship, and in every priority?
Whose image is on the coin? Caesar’s? So it belongs to him. Whose image is on you? God’s. So, you belong to Him. True honor is not about giving God a piece of your life; it’s about giving Him all of your life. And when we do, we discover that the life we surrender is the life He transforms. B&R
