TAXES, RESPECT AND HONOR

Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. Romans 13:7 NIV


Tax Day in the US is usually on April 15th, unless that date is on a weekend, in which case it falls on the next business day... or if the 15th or the next business day after a weekend 15th is an observed holiday, like this year. Emancipation Day is celebrated in Washington, D.C. on April 16th, but since that was a Saturday this year, it was observed by the government on Friday, the 15th. That therefore moved tax day this year to the 18th, tomorrow.


So, what is Emancipation Day? It is a day to celebrate President Lincoln's signing in 1862 of the Compensated Emancipation Act which freed about 3100 slaves in the District of Columbia. This occurred 9 months before Lincoln's famous Emancipation Proclamation. Emancipation Day, April 16th, was not declared an official public holiday until 2005. This may explain why many people had no idea why Tax Day was moved to the 18th this year, including me.


For some people Tax Day is dreaded, perhaps due to all of the paperwork involved, or due to the debt that is owed. For other people Tax Day brings up feelings of resentment that the government takes so much of what is earned by the people and spends it on things they don't necessarily support. The way the government handles this money may be seen as irresponsible and wasteful at times, leading some to feel hopeless or frustrated. But in spite of this, we are told in the verse above that we are to pay what we owe to all, including taxes, revenue, respect and honor. This is commanded even if we disagree with those in charge, because the governing authorities are established by God, even if they are not Christian or are not doing what we believe is right. God can still work through corrupt governments, just as he continues to work through us, his sinful human beings. And we owe the authorities revenue, respect and honor, just as we owe them to God, the greatest Authority. He emancipated us from our bondage to sin, death and the devil by sending his son, Jesus, to die in our place and rise again in order that we would be saved. We could never have paid the debt we owed to God on our own, so He paid it for us. And out of thanks for what he has done, we are motivated to give him our time, talents, treasures and testimony, honoring his sacrifice for us.

We are celebrating Palm Sunday today. As Jesus entered Jerusalem on a young donkey, God's people shouted "Hosanna" and waved palm branches and spread them on the road. However, they were expecting an earthly authority and ruler, or king. Many of those same people who were honoring Jesus that day turned against him just a few days later. We often do that too, one moment being grateful and praising God, and not much later forgetting all his wonderful work in our lives, turning away from him, or even denying him. And still our Lord forgives us. What a blessing! Our God is such an awesome God, how can we not give him all our adoration and praise?


We pray that God will give us the clarity and ability to give what we owe to all, especially those in authority, including taxes, revenue, respect and honor. May He continually remind us of all he has done for us, especially in his son, Jesus, whose triumphal entry into Jerusalem we celebrate today. And later this week as we remember his last supper with the disciples and his crucifixion on the cross, as well as his resurrection which we celebrate on Easter, may we give him thanks and praise for freeing us from slavery to sin. May we see that we owe him our entire life for all our debt being paid, and may we forever give all reverence and exaltation to the ultimate authority in our life, God himself.


With all glory, laud and honor to God, by Jan Andersen