Friends, Romans, Countrymen, It’s almost April 15, and you know what that means. It means you just started thinking, “Hey, I should probably start thinking about filing my tax return right after I finish watching this science fiction movie about the US government threatening to shut down every area of our nation’s government (except the part that pays the people responsible for this decision, of course)”.
I’d also like to give you a few thoughts (and I use the word “thoughts” in the loosest sense of the definition) about preparing for tax day.
Step one is to gather together your tax forms, your financial records, and, if you plan to itemize your deductions, at least 42 manila folders.
Step two is to go through all of your receipts, separate the ones that are for tax-deductible expenses, and mail them to me. I could use a few more deductions.
I usually go to www.weareyourgovernmentandwewantyourmoney.gov and start pouring through the multiplied thousands of forms, hoping to find one that matches my deductions. Even then it is complicated. For example, does IRS Rev. Proc. 2011-75-35-3 cover the chalupas I had during the 21 Day Hungry Eaters Challenge? And do I still need a 1040ES and a 1099G-Box 4, for alternate Thursdays? Organic chemistry and calculus suddenly seem easy.
The good news is that because Washington D.C. has chosen to celebrate “Emancipation Day” on April 15 this year we have until April 18 to file our taxes. This gives us all 3 extra days to try and figure out the tax laws (or 3 extra days to procrastinate).
My suggestion is that Washington D.C. celebrates Emancipation Day by emancipating me from paying my taxes this year (I may ask Rebecca Black to write a song on YouTube to help this idea catch on).
I am grateful that Christianity is simpler than the tax laws. You don’t have to be a theologian to be a Christian. You don’t have to stuff your head full of complex theological doctrines to be saved. Following Jesus is not for just the religious elite.
The gospel is not cheap – it cost Jesus his life.
I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. – Galatians 2:20
The gospel is not easy – it calls us to give our lives completely.
So no one can become my disciple without giving up everything for me. – Luke 14:33
But the gospel is simple.
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. – John 1:12
- You’re not lovable
- Jesus loves you anyway
- Your sin deserves death
- Jesus died in your place
- Receive Him
- Follow Him and experience true life forever
In conclusion, I hope my thoughts on taxes were helpful. Remember if you take the 21 Days of Tax Deductions Challenge with me, and the IRS asks you where you got that program, remember my name is spelled, M-A-R-T-Y M-A-R-T-I-N.
