OUR DAILY BREAD : THE ALICE TAX

[cimi]

April 15
Tuesday


THE ALICE TAX

READ:
Mark 12:12-17, 41-44
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Having food and
clothing, with these
we shall be content.
__ 1 Timothy 6:8
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Author Calvin Trillin's wife, Alice, held a unique view of income tax. She believed that "after a certain level of income, the government would simply take everything." She thought there should be a limit on how much money people were allowed to keep for themselves. Writing in The New Yorker, Trillin said of his wife, "She believed in the principle of enoughness."

In Mark 12, Jesus avoided a carefully laid trap by telling His questioners to "render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" (v.17). When Jesus watched people making their offerings to the temple treasury, He commended a woman who would have been considered foolish for her extravagance. "This poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood" (vv.43-44).

Jesus placed more importance on wholehearted love for God than on wholesale concern over material needs. His tranquil attitude toward money and possessions was based on trusting His Father to supply each day's needs. "Your Father knows the things you have need of" (Matt. 6:8).

Enoughness. What a concept! __David McCasland
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`````````````````He clothes the lilies, feeds the birds;``````````````
````````````````Would He to you, then, pay less heed?`````````````
`````````````````Look up to Him with prayerful heart,``````````````
```````````````He will supply your every need. __Renfrow``````````
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Contentment is not getting what we want
but being satisfied with what we have.

************Today's Bible Reading __ Mark 12:12-17, 41-44**********

12 And they sought to lay
hands on Him, but feared the
multitude, for they knew He
had spoken the parable
against them. So they left
Him and went away.

13 Then they sent to Him
some of the Pharisees and
the Herodians, to catch Him
in His words. 14 When they
had come, they said to Him,
"Teacher, we know that You
are true, and care about no
one; for You do not regard
ther person of men, but teach
the way of God in truth. Is it
lawful to pay taxes to Caesar,
or not? 15 Shall we pay, or
shall we not pay?"

But He, knowing their
hypocrisy, said to them,
"Why do you test Me? Bring
Me a denarius that I may see
it. 16 so they brought it. And
He said to them, "Whose
image and inscription is
this?" They said to Him,
"Caesar's."

17 And Jesus answered and
said to them, "Render to
Caesar the things that are
Caesar's, and to God the
things that are God's."...

41 Now Jesus sat opposite
the treasury and saw how the
people put money into the
treasury. and many who
were rich put in much.

42 Then one poor widow
came and threw in two mites,
which make a quadrans. 43 So
He called His disciples to
Himself and said to them,
"Assuredly, I say to you that
this poor widow has put in
more than all those who have
given to the treasury; 44 for
they all put in out of their
abundance, but she out of her
poverty put in all that she
had, her whole livelihood."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The apostle Paul wrote, "For I have learned in whatever state
I am, to be content" (Phil. 4:11). The word translated content
literally means "self-sufficient." Its source is not based on personal
resourcefulness but on the power of Christ to make us victors over
trying circumstances (v.13). __Dennis fisher