For the first time in my life, I owe the government money after filing my taxes. The news came like a blow to the solar plexus. I’m used to getting a healthy refund at tax time, which I use to pay for my villa in France (kidding, the villa is in Portugal). I’m not looking for sympathy, and I’m not expecting to get it, as I know that for many people, ante-ing up at this time of year is as perennial as the Leaf’s making an early exit from the playoffs.
How do you feel about paying taxes? I think this is a silly question, as we tend to reference paying taxes and dying in the same sentence. I knew a minister who titled a Sunday sermon in late April, “The Joy of Paying Taxes”. He said he never saw so many members of his church sitting with their arms crossed.
Not everyone sees taxes as a bad thing. Albert Bushnell Hart wrote, “taxation is the price which civilized communities pay for the opportunity of remaining civilized.” Fair enough. It’s hard to disagree with him. Perhaps paying taxes isn’t what bugs us as much as the amount we pay or what our tax money is going towards. Who among us doesn’t think that they could do a better job of administering the nation’s finances? My guess is that it’s a lot harder than it looks and not worth the new pair of shoes that you get at budget time.
From the Christian perspective, we must wrestle with Jesus’ opinion on the matter. When asked if those under the subjugation of the Roman Empire should pay taxes, Jesus responded, “render under Ceaser what is Ceaser’s, and unto God what is God’s.” Don’t get caught up on the word “render”; it’s just a fancy word for “provide”. That quote has been used in various ways. For some, it is an argument for the separation of church and state. For others, it is a reminder that good Christians must also be good citizens. And still, for others, it is a gentile way of saying, “don’t spend all your time complaining about the government (i.e. Ceaser stuff) when there are bigger things to focus on (i.e. God stuff).” No one knows exactly what the passage means, but I’m thinking it was likely a verbal side-step for Jesus, who wasn’t going to let himself be brought down by the Pharisees who were looking for any excuse to get him in trouble with the Romans. The cross would come, but it wasn’t going to happen because he told everyone to stop giving the bad guys money.
Okay, back to me.
I don’t like paying taxes, and it irks me that I have to pay more at the end of this month when I can’t figure out how they already used up the last batch I sent them. But (there is always a but), twenty minutes in front of the news cures me from feeling sorry for myself. I do like living in a country with universal health care, paved roads, well-trained teachers, honest cops, and polite employees at the LCBO.
So, render to Ceaser I shall do, as will you.
