Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.
Romans 13:6-7

Dear God, I think one way to look at this whole set of verses from Paul, including the ones before it, is him telling us to lighten up, do what’s right, be part of society, and stop being so hostile out of selfishness.

Hostile. It’s actually Election Day in our town/state (and probably in most or all states around the country). I voted early last week. There were about 10 things to come on, and about half of them involved taxation. There was one to prohibit a state income tax ever. There was one about taxing the value gained on precious metals stored in a place where you store them (that one seemed weird). There is this constant push/pull in our society around taxes. And I understand the desire to pay as little in taxes as possible. I feel that way too. But there are times when I feel like we start holding onto our money so tightly (I start holding onto my money so tightly) that it steals our (my) joy. That’s why it’s important to be a generous giver to others. I think the more I turn loose of my money in that way the more I can let go of all of it.

Father, first, thank you for providing me taxable income. Thank you for generously giving my wife and me the resources to cover emergency needs (like a new appliance that just broke) as well as enough money to help those around us. Second, help me to continue to turn loose and consider it all joy so that the money I have is not my own, but all yours. If that means paying taxes to support the common good, so be it.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen