Image Bearers

13  And they sent to [Jesus] some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. 14  And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” 15  But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16  And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar's.” 17  Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” And they marveled at him. Mark 12:13-17

Some of the most familiar faces we see every day are the ones on American money. It was like this in Jesus’ day, too—Caesar had his image stamped on the coins of the Roman empire, and people who never saw him in person knew what he looked like.

Jesus is not concerned about tax questions as much as he is about us, the human beings who carry God’s image. This is true for every human being—newborns and elderly, men and women, people born here and the new Americans who are just getting adjusted to their new country. And if we are Christians, we carry God’s image twice over—for Jesus himself is living in us, and when we act, we pray that those around us will see him through us.

Plenty of God’s image bearers don’t know Jesus, of course. They have never had the chance to hear about him. Some of these people are new immigrants. Can Christ work through you to bring them to know the God whose image they carry?

Lord, show me what I can do to care for those people whom you made in your image and whom you love. Amen.

by Dr. Kari Vo