Verse of the Day - Romans 13:7

Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
~ Romans 13:7 (NIV)

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Ah, yes...the ol' Tax Day...

I have a couple of friends I chatted with this weekend who still weren't done with their taxes, even crunching numbers last night -- Yikes!

I know most people grumble and complain at paying taxes, but I say, hey, you want social programs? You want help for schools? Then where do you think the money's gonna come from--trees? 'Cuz you know it doesn't grow there!

We want, want, want in our society....but we don't want to give, give, give. God says we need to give what is due, period. To whomever it's due, be that society (through social and civil programs funded by taxes), your boss, your neighbor, or a stranger. He wants us to be generous and just, letting go and giving in justice what is due to others. Because remember --everything we have comes from Him. It's not ours to hoard -- it's ours to give.

And Jesus goes beyond this command and makes sure we get the idea of generosity. Not only are we to give to those who are due something specifically, who've not earned it... we're to give to those who haven't.

Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.” ~ Luke 14:12-14 (NLT)

Jesus gave everything for those who were not due anything...that's you, and that's me. Every single person deserved NOTHING good for their sinful ways -- only the punishment that was justly due to us. But Jesus still gave. He gave His love...He gave His life. That is His nature--generosity in love. If He is our role model, are we imitating this type of loving generosity?

Pay your taxes with a smile...
Give a compliment with a smile...
Serve in the community with a smile...

God smiles when we give with a genuine smile!