A Person of Integrity

Scripture – Mark 12:13-17 ¹³Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. ¹⁴They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? ¹⁵Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” ¹⁶They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. ¹⁷Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” And they were amazed at him.

Reflection: It looks like these Jewish leaders knew more about Jesus than they realized. He was a man of integrity – a man who would not be swayed by what other people thought.

Their goal was to somehow “catch him in his words.” Yet, the simple fact is, if I always tell the truth, I don’t have to worry about being caught. I don’t have to wonder what I told this person or that person. I have no stories to keep straight.

Jesus has this wonderful (and sometimes disturbing) way of seeing right into my heart. Sometimes I ask Him things I really don’t care about, and He answers with what I need to hear. The answer to the question about taxes was easy. The harder question is, how can I be a person of integrity like Him?

Lord Jesus, please keep working on me and in me. Teach me to follow your example, as well as your teaching. Show me today how to speak the truth. Remind me that you are first on the list of those I want to please this day.