Render Unto Caesar. . .

"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. And everyone went to his own town to register."      (Luke 2: 1, 3 NIV)

The census is done much differently today. A computerized form is sent out to each residence. You are required to fill it out and send it back within a specified period of time. If the government does not receive it, they will either call you or send a census worker to your doorstep.

In Biblical times, you had to go back to your hometown to register. Can you imagine what it would be like today if we were required to go back to our hometowns? I know there are several people in this area who were born and raised here, and never left the county to go live anywhere else. For those folks, it would be no problem. Since such a large portion of the U.S. population grew up in different states, or even different parts of the world, it would be major chaos if they were required to travel back home in order to complete a census.

Joseph and Mary had to take such a journey. "So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David." (vs. 4). Mary had to go with Joseph since she was engaged to marry him. By this time, they already knew Mary was pregnant with the Son of God. They could have viewed the census decree as the "least of their worries". But, instead, they did what was required of them. They did what was ordered by the law of Caesar. Even if it meant a long and tiresome journey, they went.

Of course, all of this was a part of God's divine plan. Mary could have looked up to God and said, "I am carrying this child for you. Surely, you don't expect me to go on such a journey. Don't you want me to stay home where I can be comfortable and take care of myself and this baby?" But, she didn't. And, we shouldn't either. Just because God has chosen to use us in a special way doesn't mean that we are above the law of the land. If the law says we do so and so, that is what we should do. "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's; render unto God what is God's".