Render to Caesar

Have you filed your income taxes yet?  The deadline approacheth!

I guess it’s only fitting that we file taxes in April since the average taxpayer has to work at least that long to cover federal, state, and local government taxes. Just think about it…at least one third of your income goes to Uncle Sam. That’s a far cry more than the original 3% federal income tax law that Congress enacted in 1862 to support the Civil War.  Of course it wasn’t until 1913 that income tax became permanent with the 16th Constitutional Amendment.

Here’s a little trivia for you: the tax code in 1913 was 400 pages long. It’s now 70,320 pages. I’m not surprised since our tax forms are so confusing. They read something like: “Put total of line 7 on line 15 and divide by 3 unless this is a leap year in which case you put total of line 9 on line 24 and divide by 8. Then you do the Hokey Pokey and turn yourself around. That’s what it’s all about!”

I’m so thankful that God’s way is not confusing (1 Corinthians 14:33). And God believes we should pay our taxes. Jesus said in Mark 12:17 to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s which basically means to pay taxes. But in the second half of Mark 12:17 Jesus says to “render unto God the things that are God’s.”

God IS gentle and kind. He only requires 10%. I think He knew what He was doing when He only asked for a tithe of our income. He knew we would need the rest to pay the government.

If you need a smile while you’re turning over your paycheck to Uncle Sam check out this Ray Stevens song about taxes

 

 

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