Spend time in prayer and silence with God asking Him to meet with you and speak to you.
Bible Reading
Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to trap Him by what He said. So, they sent their disciples to Him, along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are truthful and teach truthfully the way of God. You don’t care what anyone thinks nor do You show partiality. Tell us, then, what You think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” Perceiving their malicious intent, Jesus said, “Why are you testing Me, hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.” They brought Him a denarius. “Whose image and inscription is this?” He asked them. “Caesar’s,” they said to Him. Then He said to them, “Give, then, to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard this, they were amazed. So, they left Him and went away.
– Matthew 22:15-22
Devotion
The true heart of the religious leaders is on display in this historical account. The religious leaders were trying to trap Jesus into saying something that they could use to arrest Him. Jesus knew their hearts and was able to once again demonstrate His authority and superiority over them. They were trying to outsmart God!
The Big Question
This account causes us to examine our own motives and reasons for why we do what we do for God. Have your motives for serving God ever been less than pure? Are there times when you are on a mission to outsmart God? What practical lessons can we learn from this encounter between Jesus and the religious leaders?
Conclude your time in prayer and silence, reflecting on what God revealed to you today.