Around the World in 88 Years -E Book - Arthur Burt

Very soon afterward, in 1981, Steve moved up to live with us andlater Joseph did the same. God has wonderfully blessed thesetwo sons who had been far away both physically and spiritually,but God brought them back. Now we rejoice in a wonderfulunity, and I know what Jesus meant when He said, “I and myFather are one.” (John 10:30)God will supply all my need.I don’t know many people who really want to have much to dowith the tax man. I suppose most people are on the defensivewhen they go into his office, feeling he is demanding too much,but God has dealt with me in some measure in my attitude towardthe tax man.I have been in many countries where I’ve seen poverty, the scarcityof water and desolation from war or natural catastrophe.Then, coming back to my own country, I was grateful to livewhere conditions were far better. Here, the least we can do is to“Render… unto Caesar” (Luke 20:25), even if we don’t trust him,at least render to him knowing that God has given us much blessingthrough our government and we should appreciate this.I found myself one day in the tax office where the tax man askedme, “These are your bank statements, your airplane tickets — allthis bundle are yours?”“Yes,”“How many years does this cover? Does this cover your life?”“No,” I answered. “That’s just for the last two years.”“You mean all these airplane tickets belong to you from the lasttwo years?”“Sure. My name is on them. Look at them.”Then the tax man began to question how this could be possible.“Look,” I told him. “I am no different from anybody else. I am abeliever in Jesus Christ, but even so, I can be tempted to be defensiveor to be dishonest like anyone else — but I don’t chooseto be. I choose to be honest and truthful as unto God. By theway, do you pay income tax?”226