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Garth Heckman The David Alliance [email protected]    Matthew 17:27   Payment of the Temple Tax 24 On their arrival in Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax came to Peter and asked him, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the Temple tax?” 25 “Yes, he does,” Peter replied. Then he went into the house. But before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, “What do you think, Peter? Do kings tax their own people or the people they have conquered?” 26 “They tax the people they have conquered,” Peter replied. “Well, then,” Jesus said, “the citizens are free! 27 However, we don’t want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.”   Couldn’t pay my taxes my first year at my Fathers church… walked in to his office - what am I going to do? I owe $4000. The phone rang… are you still wanting to sell your boat? I will give you 4k for it.      Tax collectors are trying to catch Jesus… How much money did you give for the new sign??? I thought you loved your church and God????     JESUS HAD THE -  Freedom to not pay taxes… but wisdom to pay taxes.  Freedom without wisdom is a stumbling block to others. Any virtue in and of itself is an evil. Aristotle    On this occasion Jesus chooses to not offend… but later he will flip tables in the temple.    There is an intimacy that one requires in order to know which one you choose? LESSON: I no longer question someones motives or actions if I know they are intimate with God.      Graceful compromise… Early on in our Marriage going to her relatives dinner… THE RIDE HOME. Why did you not say anything???   Invited to your spouses family dinner. They are all raving lunatics that hate religion, faith, Trump, puppies and chocolate… You don’t need to go, but you gracefully compromise so that you might have a chance to love on them… and not give them a reason to be offended.      You are dining out and trying your best to share Christ with your server… but they are subpar at best… but you tip them generously anyway because you don’t want to give them a reason to be further offended at the gospel or Christians.     Someone blows up at you at work… they tell human services you get pulled in and reprimanded. You just take it, smile and ask for forgiveness… because you know righteousness is more important than you being right.  This isn’t weakness - its meekness. I could, but I won’t!  WE SOMETIMES PROVOKE NEEDLESS OPPOSITION TRYING TO HARD TO BE RIGHT - RATHER THAN LOVING!      When we are right morally we may in fact be wrong spiritually… We can focus on Non essentials, Captious, making mountains out of mole hills.  We attack abortion and not share Christ Love We attack Socialism and not share Christ Love We attack Transgenderism and not share Christ love  We attack their music, clothes, Political stance, their theological stance, even their religion and choices…