Welcome to Real-ity Based Blogging

Go ahead and look first at Romans 13 . See how God speaks to you individually. Then come back, if you wish, and see what God has put in my mind/heart.

Key Verse(s):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.

Title: Paying My Way (with money, gratitude, and honor).

Observation: We as followers of Christ need to be above board, and be honorable in our actions. We need to pay the government what we owe in taxes. We need to avoid debt. But even more than financially, we need to show honor to those in positions of authority and respect as well.

One of our society’s great weaknesses is that we treat our leaders like punching bags. Oversight is crucial to are government; we as citizens need to be vigilant against corruption. But we need also to show respect and honor to our governor, our president, our elected officials, especially when we do not agree with them. Character assassination is never called for. God has allowed, even placed our leaders in positions of authority. Let us give them their due.

Application: I don’t like to submit to any authority, but particularly to the leaders I don’t agree with. And yet without supporting our leaders, even when we don’t agree with them, we hamstring their authority and their ability to do good. I once saw a cartoon about a bus designed for a church committee: It had one gas pedal, four steering wheels, and ten sets of brakes. I need to submit those who have been placed in authority over me even, especially, when I disagree with them.

Prayer: Lord, help me to be grateful for those who are put in position over me. Help me to be gracious to those you have given me leadership over. Help meto learn to work in harmony with everyone, where the only debt I have is to love each other. Help me not to take my ball home when I disagree, but to learn how to submit to those who you have given me as my leaders and show them gratitude and show them respect.

In Jesus Name,
Amen.

# posted by Matt Real @ 9:32 PM