Daily lesson for December 3, 2014

Today's daily lesson comes from Luke chapter 20 verses 21 and 22:

21 So they asked him, "Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God. 22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?"

"This is a test." 

A long, annoying, foghorn-like sound followed by those words, "This is a test," and we know the Emergency Broadcast System on our favorite radio station is working.

But most tests these days aren't so obvious; and they weren't in Jesus' day either.

To test Jesus, the religious authorities sent spies to him saying,  "Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God." (I read that and suddenly begin to smell a rat?) "Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?"

Taxes to the emperor -- that was the test in Jesus' day.  To pass the test you had to be on the right side of that issue. You were either "fer or ginst it."

Here's some more tests we're supposed to be either for or against today:

Taxes (still)
Abortion
Gay marriage
Muslims
Palestinians
The grand jury decision in Ferguson

Don't you hate tests?  Don't you wish everybody did?

A prayer: 
   LORD, help me to realize that even in my sincerity on many issues, I can end acting like a spy putting others to a litmus test that you have not asked me to give. And when others do the same to me, may I have the clarity of vision to see the test and the courage of heart not to take it.