Today's readings are 2 Chronicles 34.1-4 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=2+Chron.+34.1-4 ), 2 Chronicles 34.8-11 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=2+Chron.+34.8-11 ), 2 Chronicles 34.14-33 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=2+Chron.+34.14-33 ), Colossians 2.8-23 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Col.+2.8-23 ), and Nahum 1.13-19 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Nahum+1.13-19 ).
Today happens to be one of the four or five most difficult days in the entire year for self employed people in the United States. Today is the day we get to pay our taxes. All sorts of emotions arise when it's time to fork over that money. After all, it's money I earned, shouldn't I get to keep it? I worked hard, I deserve something. I have these resources and I want to keep them, use them according to my desires, even use them for good, kind, and charitable purposes. Why do I have to pay those taxes?
While you have been asking what in the world this has to do with our Scripture passages I've been asking the same thing. It has a great deal to do with what we read. We see in Scripture today that we are people who live in two kingdoms at once. We have this earthly temporal kingdom we live in where we pay taxes, do righteous deeds like Josiah did, live among our neighbors, and hopeful act as a blessing to them. We have resources and we can buy and sell, win and lose, and follow laws which accomplish good and bad. But notice as Josiah did that we have a greater law as well. We have the revelation and commands of God in Christ. We have been put to death with Christ in baptism and are alive in his resurrection. All we have, all we hope, all we do belongs to him.
Now we get to the crux of the issue. Our Lord has placed us in a society where we are called to be productive members and to do what we do for God, not for men. That includes paying taxes to the government. Like Josiah tore his clothes when convicted of his sin, even though he had been acting in a righteous manner, do we need to tear our clothes and repent over our righteous actions but our poor attitude?
Thanks be to God that he has provided forgiveness through the death of Jesus on my behalf, forgiveness even for my grumbling spirit.
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