Upon Embracing Earthly Taxes

Scripture: “You have saved our lives,” they said. “We have found favor with our lord and will be Pharaoh’s slaves.” So Joseph made it a law, still in effect today in the land of Egypt, that a fifth of the produce belongs to Pharaoh. Only the priests’ land does not belong to Pharaoh. Genesis 47:25-26

Observation: Near the end of the famine, the people of Egypt are desperate for a last year of food, and Josheph doesn't just give them food, he gives them seed to replant. However, the price is high ... they are now all slaves to Pharaoh, their land belongs to Pharaoh, and every year from now on 20 percent of their produce is paid to Pharaoh. Somehow, the people are thrilled with this!

Application: Let's talk about how messed up people's perception of "their" money really is. Last year, I paid almost twice as much in federal taxes than I gave to the church. In both situations, I have complied with the law. I ultimately gave ~11 percent of my income to the church, and 22 percent was paid in federal taxes (and another 5 percent in SS/Medicare taxes) (and another 10 percent in sales taxes) (and another 2.5 percent in property taxes). However, here is the real issue ... there are millions of people out there who would look at my life compared to others who have significant hardships and claim I should be paying more taxes, maybe even WANT to pay more taxes. Simultaneously, if those same millions upon millions saw the amount I gave to the church, they would declare that I am CRAZY for throwing that much money away.

Oh, they are so very, very backwards.

God does not ask much of us. His burden is easy. His blessings are bountiful. I receive so much more from the Lord than I do from any earthly institution. And here's the point ... the Lord is very clear that he really doesn't ask much from us, yet us humans seem to think that he places SO much on us, while meanwhile our earthly structures bury us while we come up with more and more ways to make them even more burdensome.

And this isn't new! While the Lord was showing the patriarchs that, if they freely offer others 10 percent of their blessings they would be blessed even more, Pharaoh was enslaving the population and taking by law 20 percent of their hard work and they were thankful for it!

I am going to continue to give my money into the system that will fill my storehouses, and will return an amount that fills my basket ... a full measure, pressed down, and overflowing.

Prayer: Lord, I desire to be faithful to you and you alone. Thank you for my daily bread, for it is all I need. Amen.