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Whose Image Do You Bear?

Scripture: Matthew 22:15-22, 34-40

"Then he said to them, 'So give back to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's.'... 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

When the Pharisees tried to trap Jesus with a question about taxes, He turned it into a profound lesson about identity. He asked whose image was on the coin, then redirected their attention to a deeper question: whose image is on you? The coin bore Caesar's face and belonged to him. But you and I bear God's image and belong to God.

This changes everything about how we approach giving and living. We're not just paying bills or fulfilling obligations. We're aligning our lives with the truth of whose we are. When Jesus connects this teaching to the greatest commandments — loving God and neighbor — He shows us that bearing God's image isn't passive. It's active, generous, and relational.

Today, as you worship and begin this week's journey, consider what it means to "give to God what is God's." It's not just about your wallet. It's about your whole life — your time, your relationships, your decisions, your heart. Everything that bears God's image belongs to God.

Reflection Question: When you look at your schedule, your resources, and your relationships this week, whose image do they reflect — yours or God's?

Action Step: Identify one area of your life where you've been holding tightly to control. Offer it back to God today in prayer, acknowledging that it was always His.

Prayer: Creator God, I bear Your image. Help me live like I believe it. Show me where I've been claiming ownership instead of practicing stewardship. Align my heart with Yours today and all this week. Amen.