Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's

The Bible states this..

"Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. "Teacher," they said, "we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are. Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"

But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax." They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?"

"Caesar's," they replied.
Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."

When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away."

Jesus taught us many things but I believe this parable he told had a lot of significance specially at the time and situation he was in. The Roman empire had encompassed maximum lands at this time and they were trying to unite a wide diversity of cultures and they had to face the Jews whose religion at that time dictated their governance. If at that point of time, Jesus had not given such a harmless yet visionary response, what would have happened is that it would have resulted in religion and state being at logger heads with each other and Chrisitianity as we know today would not have evolved.

Today this parable is used as an example by many religions and countries to clearly demarcate the role of the state and religion in the affairs of the governed.

Funnily in my present state of mind, this parable evokes another thought process in me. It reminds me of a chameleon. Chameleons have the tendency to change color according to its surroundings and this is its modus operandi for survival. Consider love as the coin, you as Jesus and your love is questioned and asked since Caesar has by law stamped it as his, you need to give it to him. Would you give it? I guess thats a question we all need to answer. To give it, we may have to sacrifice many other things. But if someone forcefully tries to take it saying its his right, even the sanest of people will resist, cause at that point individuality is lost.

Over the long run, everything in this world has moved through this one course that of being submissive whether its religion, whether its individuals or even animals. In the process they have had to sacrifice many things not realizing the losses they actually suffer mentally that can never be gotten back again. Just like the story of the goose that laid golden eggs that we learn in our lower classes!!

What type of person are you & what choices would you take?