Beauty and Responsibility

Today I read Exodus 38:19-39:43 and Mark 11:26-12:21. My favorite verses are:

Exodus 39:3 And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, with cunning work.

Mark 12:17 And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him.

I love to do cross stitching—creating beautiful pictures by working different colored threads into a cloth background. That is what I was reminded of when I read Exodus 39:3. I can imagine the stunning effect of working gold wires in with blue, purple, and scarlet threads in a fine linen cloth. God must love beautiful things; you only have to look around at the beauty of his creation to know that. But God is not selfish. Jesus told those who asked about paying taxes that they were expected to “Render to Caesar” what was owed him; Christians are expected to pay taxes. We are also expected to pay tithes—at the very least. God wants what is due him, but he wants us to be faithful with our finances in other areas as well.