THE TAX COLLECTOR [PUBLICAN]
As we celebrate another Father’s Day, our nation and indeed the world is passing through economic recession and financial crises. Many businesses have been shut down while others down size their enterprises. The job market is deeply affected by these challenges, the greatest since Great Depression. On the other hand, there are wars and gongs of war every where around the globe. A great number of hard working and caring fathers are at war fronts away from families defending our nation and to liberate our world while others are out of job. Either way the families bear the rod and the consequences are begging for attention. A Tax Collector is a state employee who helps the government collect revenue for funding state projects: of keeping security, providing peace and orders and meeting other essential services [2 Kings 23:35]. Taxes are compulsory payments of percentage of income to the State, County and City. During Jesus’ days, Caesar was the man in authority and it was an important issue that raised great controversies such that Jesus was confronted whether the people should pay taxes to Caesar; even though it was just to trap Him. In spite of His answer: to give to Caesar that which is Caesar and to God that which is God’s, it was later used as a charge against Jesus before Pilate [Luke 20:22-25; 23:2].
Generally people like to avert taxes even among well paid state representatives. In the early days tax collection could have been liken to going to war. The Tax Collector’s wages was depended on how much he collected. To enable the Tax Collector make adequate income for running the state budget; pay his bills and meet other needs, He became aggressive and persuasive, necessitating application of special skills including in-tricks. Even in our modern society, taxes are still collected by direct and indirect methods. People still apply different techniques to avert taxes. In some states and nations direct ways may include physical confrontation and invading personal space. People distaste this method and despise those who perform this ‘thankless job’ for the nation. Tax Collectors are no terrible people but the way some perform their assigned duties sometimes pervert justice and fairness. In the scriptures, they are accused of extortion, unjust, exploitation, adulterous and cheat [Luke 18:10ff].
One great quality of the biblical publican was that He had a job and was not ashamed of his means of livelihood. He learnt the skills of his job and did it well that he was prominent all over the place. He could be likened to the song, “of an old man who sells old cloths that lived at the corner; wherever you go you must hear of the old cloth; that old man who sells old cloths.” He enjoyed the benefits of his job; cared for his family and paid his bills. He believed in God as a Heavenly Father and his Creator who supplies, provides and protects beyond our imaginations. We who are earthly fathers should follow the example of our Heavenly Father and work hard, confronting challenges of race, ascent, culture and proper authorization to work and reside, etc.
He also believed in the efficacy of prayer and his need for mercy. The publican understood the place of mercy in the hand of God and that it was a thing only God can give. He knelt down humbly, raised his eyes to heaven and cried for mercy. Like the Psalmist, he knows where mercy comes from. My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth [Psalm 121:1-2]. Another character, Blind Bartimaeus also understood the source and power of mercy. Little wonder when He heard Jesus passing by he shouted the more: Jesus, Son of David have mercy on me. He did not consider or dwelled on his disability and predicament. He did not mind that His disciples scolded him to be quiet. Unbelievably, in the midst of that noisy crowd, Jesus heard that voice of the blind. When the Master stooped and turned around, the same people that scolded him said to him, “Get up, He’s calling you.” Right at that moment, in that atmosphere of surprise and favor, there was an open heaven.
The blind man called Him not only Jesus, but also Son of David [His ancestral name] that none of those who scorned the blind neither believed in nor ever addressed Him. The blind man action showed that he knew and believed in His ancestral origin and did not miss the unusual opportunity to put his faith to work. The Master stop to know who the man was that knew Him even from His ancestors. I believed that it was the blind man’s faith, his resilient and perseverance that forced Jesus to stop and turned to the blind. When Jesus stop, everything in God’s kingdom and on earth halted. .Jesus said to His disciples, call him. His disciples turned around and said to him, “Get up, He calls you” and suddenly a nobody became somebody, a recognized person. In that realm and moment, in His presence, nobody could sidetrack or ignore him anymore.
The Publican knew one thing the Pharisee did not know: that God chose him out of His rich mercies [Ephesians 2:4]. He knew that mercy does not judge you or count your wrongs; listen to what other people say about you. Mercy does not know your sins, whether you’re educated or not; whether you are rich or poor. Mercy does not know whether you live in the White House or in the suburban; white or black, a Republican or Democrat. Neither mercy checks our bank accounts nor our past records. Governments and organizations conduct backgrounds checks on people but mercy does not. Mercy covers all iniquities and that of your parents, even that of your ancestors. Mercy takes us to the place of grace and not of pride or in corrector’s role, where a kettle calls a pot black. This is where men and father’s need to be and hold our chest crying, God be merciful to us sinners [Luke 18:13]. The Tax Collector understood it was not his place or portion to answer a fool according to his folly less he also be like him; a man’s pride will bring him low but the humble in spirit will be honored [Proverbs 26:4; 29:23].
Like the Publican, fathers are urged to rise up and do not mind doing ‘dirty jobs’ to pay our bills and provide the needs of our families; for doing that bring great honor. We should acknowledge our shortcomings and trust God for His grace and mercies. We should rise up early and tarry late night to cry unto God for our lives and daily endeavor; that of our families. Its high time father’s learnt to accept their failures and repent on our kneels: for the sins of thoughts, words, actions and silences; the failures of our families, communities and nations as well as our age and world. We have failed in leadership, in fatherhood; perseverance and preserving our cultures as well as protecting our world. We have not raised our voices against the ills and vices of our families and society; have alienated from God and the Church and become unbelieving believers. We have allowed Satan into our household and the result is alternative lifestyle, and the ills of swing ling clubs, etc.
Our children have been raised to believe in the alternative gods and multiplicity of gods and religion. We have not provided to them secured and happy life at homes and they are looking for it in gangs, witchcrafts, and alternative lifestyles, etc. We have no other choice as father’s and men than to return to God and cry for mercy. God, who sits at the throne of mercy shall hear us, forgive us; heal and restore us, our families and nations. God has given father the authority and spiritual oversight over their households; we must not back down in the fierce of the battle. Let us return to Him for strength and power to do the assignment, even as we face the most difficult challenge of cleaving in family wellbeing. He alone works things out. Arise oh fathers, men of God, arise. Jim Valvano said, “I’ve had a hard life, but my hardships are nothing against the hardships that my father went through in order to get me to where I started.” Lastly, Lord Chesterfield opined, “Don’t make baby, if you can’t be a father.”