We hear about law and order, about the power government should or should not have, about our need to take stands and our responsibility in social spheres. Maybe these are the questions discussed in Jesus' time. It is maybe what they are asking in the Gospel when the Pharisees and Herodians want to know: should we, as Jews, pay an unjust tax; must we, who are God's people, live under oppression; can we, in conscience, support Rome? And if not, what should we do?
How does Jesus answer? I don't think he does. He gives us some guidelines. He tell them give government what it has the right to. He says what is God's will should also be done. But he doesn't answer the question. He says nothing about what to do here and now. It is up to them. It is their decision. They are on their own.
It is the same still. God has given some guidelines or indications. In Jesus he pointed out a direction, but he has not given answers to all our questions. He has in some ways given more questions than answers. So, just as did the people of Jesus' time we have decisions to make, deciding what seems right, what seems to be God's will.
Sometimes it will be difficult, but it is all right since God remains on our side and is less concerned with success or failure than with effort.
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