Back in December, my company decided to shut down for the two weeks around Christmas, and anyone who wanted to could apply for EI. They said to apply for the whole two weeks, including the statutory holidays. They figured it would be fine because we would be paid out later on for the holidays, and therefore we could claim the whole two weeks. Unfortunately, they were wrong.
So, mid January, a bunch of us received letters saying we owed the government money back. We were not pleased. We had been given advice from our HR department that was faulty, and now we're in trouble for it.
I spent some time praying about it and asking God what He wanted me to do about it. Our HR department said that they wanted copies of our bills, and then they would decide what they would do about it. Whether they would pay us back for the mistake or ask us to pay it back. So, I emailed them a copy of mine and waited. In the meantime, I prayed and asked God what He wanted me to do. God told me to pay the bill. To give to Cesar what is Cesar's.
Matthew 22:15-22 “The Pharisees: Is it Lawful to Pay Taxes to Caesar? Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of man. “Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? “Show Me the tax money.” So they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Cesar’s.” And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.”
I said, okay. I paid the bill a week later, on a Tuesday. That Friday afternoon, HR came by and told us that the company would be reimbursing us. They asked us to pay the bill and bring in our receipts. I told them I had paid my bill a few days ago and was now waiting for them to email me a receipt.
At the end of my shift, hubby picked me up as usual, and I told him the good news. I didn’t expect them to pay us back. I was pleasantly surprised when they announced that they would be reimbursing us for it.
When God told me to pay my bill, I did so quietly and didn't tell anyone. Throughout the process of receiving these bills and waiting several weeks for a decision from our HR department, one of my coworkers was particularly upset about the situation, and we discussed it a handful of times. They felt that the whole thing was our employers' fault and not ours. That we had acted on their advice. Which is correct. A few of my coworkers were extra smart and applied for EI, but didn't claim the stat holidays. Personally, I clued in a little too late, but I have learned my lesson and will never do that again.
The other day, I talked again to my extra upset coworker and listened to their argument and why they felt so justified in being upset. I then felt in my spirit that it was okay to tell my coworker how God had called me to respond. I said that yes, we were given mad advice. But, we are all adults, and therefore can make decisions for ourselves and could have not claimed those days in our EI claim. We didn't have to take the advice from our HR department. I believe God wanted me to share my viewpoint and calm response to the situation with my coworker because I am a believer. This coworker of mine knows I am a believer and, from time to time, asks questions. The coworker was raised with religion vs faith and ended up walking away from the church when they got older.
The point in all this is that a) give to Cesar what is Cesar's, and b) that as believers, we are called to act and look different from the world around us. Which I know that the majority of believers know that already. But it's true. We are called to let Jesus shine through everywhere we go. We are called to respond differently to bad news so that when the world around us sees us, they see Jesus and wonder about Him.
Do we flawlessly represent Him every day? Of course not. Thankfully, that's where God's grace and mercy come into play. But we are supposed to be continually seeking after Jesus and strengthening our relationship with Him so that through Him, it becomes easier and easier to respond the way that He wants us to respond.
Please hear my heart, this post is not intended to slander my employer or my HR department. I've deliberately left their names out because I don't want them to get into trouble because I shared private information. I'm sharing this experience to remind us believers, that we are to give to Cesar what is Cesar's and to God what is God's. From the sounds of it, there are going to be some repercussions for my employer, but I don't care to find out what they are. It's none of my business. Or anyone else's, for that matter.
So friend, let's give to Cesar what is Cesar's and show the world around us how Jesus wants us to respond to difficult situations.
God Bless
~Hannah
