Thinking Out Loud

It's been too long...so permit me to think out loud for a few minutes. Cindy and I (as well as two other adults and 6 high school students from the Winston area) are in Washington DC for the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America conference which os required as part of our federal drug-free communities grant. Today we toured Washington DC. Then after returning to our room I read these words...
Then they sent some of the Pharisees and the Herodians to Him to trap Him by what He said. When they came, they said to Him, “Teacher, we know You are truthful and defer to no one, for You don’t show partiality Lit don’t look on the face of men; that is, on the outward appearance but teach truthfully the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay, or should we not pay?” But knowing their hypocrisy, He said to them, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a • denarius to look at.” So they brought one. “Whose image and inscription is this?” He asked them.
“Caesar’s,” they said. Then Jesus told them, “Give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were amazed at Him.

Hmm. I saw hundreds of office buildings- with several dozen cranes marking new construction and renovations- that house the government. One entire community- Pentagon City is almost exclusively occupied by auxiliary Pentagon offices, defense contractors, and military experts...
Later in the same chapter (Mark 12) Jesus reminds His listeners that loving God is THE most important thing. He illustrates that by calling attention to a woman who puts two insignificant coins in the Temple treasury.
Hmm. thinking out loud again...I see and feel the need for an economic recovery as well as anyone else. But I wonder if we are missing the point. If there is no moral or spiritual underpinning, of what value is the economic gains that are hoped for in the stimulus package? Maybe even more importantly, when will we have an honest (i.e. non-pork filled budget) discussion about the proper role of government? Republicans have been as guilty as Democrats when it comes to increasing the size and scope of the federal government. Isn't it time to ask ourselves again...just what is the government accountable for? And what are we as individuals responsible for? Sec. of State Hillary Clinton famously said, "It takes a village to raise a child." Is a village made to order by government, or is a village the sum and beyond of those who live, work, raise their families, and gather for social and political purposes?
Just thinking...give to Caesar what is his, give to God what belongs to Him- the full energy of our mind, soul, and strength to love Him and to love our neighbor as ourselves, and then we can trust God to take what little we have and use it to powerfully impact the kingdom of God.

Just thinking out loud...

Steve