Interesting how sometimes you hear something you've heard a zillion times and something totally new (for you) strikes you.

Today's PAYG was a recounting of the occasion when Pharisees and Herodians came to Jesus to 'trap him in his words' by asking him about the payment of Roman taxes.  After taking the coin, Jesus asked 'whose image and inscription are these?' before saying 'render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's and to God that which is God's'.

Whenever I've heard anyone speak on this, it has been about the obligation to pay our taxes, and sometimes about our equal responsibility to be regular in our 'tithes and offerings'.  For some reason this morning I found myself pondering the currency in which we might 'render unto God', wondering first of all what the Temple coinage looked like, since the making of graven images is clearly prohibited, and what might be the appropriate 'image and inscription'.  Call me slow (you're slow, Catriona) but it struck me very forcibly that there is a hint here about ourselves, our lives, as the currency rendered unto God...  If, as we claim, we bear the image and likeness of God, if, as the psalmist and song-writers say, God's word is written on our hearts, then this is actually about a whole-hearted commitment to God.

Pay your taxes to the 'secular' authorities; give yourself to God.

So, not only a difference in 'kind' but a difference in quantity and quality too... the 'Emperor' demands x% in currency 'y'; God demands everything...

Were the whole realm of nature mine

That were an offering far too small

Love so amazing, so divine

Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Hmmm.  Challenging.