The theme for our reflection is rights and duties. A right is a legal word that means an interest created, accepted, and protected by law. Duties are the responsibilities that an individual is expected to carry out in the State in return for the rights he or she enjoys. We shall reflect on the facts that rights are obligations of the State to its citizens, On the other hand, duties are the obligations by citizens to the State. All these obligations are created and enforced by law.
Beloved in the Lord, the State has moral and legal obligation to protect the rights of citizens by enacting laws to ensure that these rights are not violated. Amongst some of the rights protected under the 1992 constitution of Ghana and other countries includes, protection of right of life, personal liberty, slavery and forced labour, protection of privacy of home and other property and protection of fundamental human rights and freedom. All these rights are obligations of the State to the citizens. In Jesus’ time, Isreal was under the Roman government, and therefore, the Roman government had the obligation to protect the rights of every citizen in the Roman Empire including the Israelites.
As the State performs its role of protecting the interest or rights of its citizens, the citizens must also contribute to the development of the state through their moral and legal obligation of paying taxes. Paying tax is a civic duty, it is for this reason when Jesus was asked, “…Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” (Matthew 22:17). He replied “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (Matthew 22:21). In other words, You are under Ceasars government and protection, in return pay your taxes to his government so that he can continue to protect your rights and perform other obligations to you. Similarly, we Christians are greatly encouraged as citizens of the state who enjoy the protection of our rights by the State to pay our taxes accordingly. These taxes are used by the State to ensure that rights such as accessibility to good health, water, power, education, and roads are adequately enjoyed by the citizens. A governments is the steward of the State or the people, it is for this reason, if a government is not judiciously using the taxes paid by the citizens to enhance the enjoyment of their rights such a government must be changed through the properly laid down procedure as enshrined in the constitution. On the other hand, through elections. We are not to be rebellious and antagonistic, thereby violating each other’s rights. We must be guided by law in everything we do, including the enjoyment of rights, payment of taxes, and holding the institution of government accountable.
In summary, we have reflected on the theme, Rghts and Duties. We have discovered that rights are obligations of the State to its citizens, On the other hand, duties are the obligations by citizens to the State. All these obligations are created and enforced by law. Shalom.
Dear God, we pray for good government and accountable institutions that will protect and guarantee the enjoyment of our rights, in return, may You strengthen us to be good and law abiding citizens who will perform our duties as required by law. Amen.
NO BIBLE NO BREAKFAST DAILY BIBLE REFLECTIONS AND MORE 
Leave a comment