Kick off party

Woo hoo! It is that time of year again. The table is laden with nachos, chicken wings, chips and dips. It is time to celebrate. No, not the Super Bowl, but the official start of the 2019 tax filing season in America. So clear all those tasty snacks off the table, because you’re going to need it to spread out your receipts.

I heard on the television the other morning that businessman Steve Forbes once said in 2010, “ The Declaration of Independence, the words that launched our nation, 1,300 words. The Bible, the word of God, 773,000 words. The Tax Code, the words of politicians, 7,000,000 words and growing!”

As of today there is actually closer to 8 million words in the current tax code. That’s 100,000 words a year that our government has added from 2010 to 2020. That’s just plain crazy!

Dave Barry, the humor columnist for the Miami Herald was always poking fun at the IRS, and had this to say about the tax code.

“The U.S. Tax system is so complicated that no normal human can think about it for more than ten seconds without bleeding from the forehead. The tax laws are written by staff nerds who can put pretty much any wording they want in there. I bet that if you actually read the vastness of the tax code, you’d find at least one sex scene. ‘Yes, yes, yes moaned Vanessa as Lance again and again depreciated her adjusted gross rate of annualized fiscal debt.’”

I mean who really knows. Has anyone ever read through the tax code from front to back? I highly doubt it. I can tell you speaking from experience as an accountant, that the tax code does not generate the same peace, empowerment, and strength for me that the Bible does. And that’s the Good News. The Bible is the life breathing, life giving Word of God which guides our daily lives when we read and ponder it. The tax code just puts me to sleep. But I’d much rather read the Bible before going to bed.

“Every Scripture has been inspired by the Holy Spirit, the breath of God. It will empower you by its instruction and correcting, giving you the strength to take the right direction and lead you deeper into the path of godliness.” (2 Tim. 3:16 [TPT])

“For the word of God is living and active.” (Heb. 4:12a [NIV])

“His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, wheter doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what.” (Heb. 4:12b-13 [MSG])

“So also will be the word that I speak; it does not return to me unfulfilled. My word performs my purpose and fulfills the mission I sent it out to accomplish.” (Isa. 55:11 [TPT]) The tax code, not so much.

So grab those nachos and start sorting your receipts. Then take a break, grab you Bible and be refreshed by the Word of God, because you deserve it! Let the party in your soul kick off!

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