The Miracle of Jesus That Makes Almost No Sense Until You Notice One Detail
The strange story of a fish, a coin and a different kind of freedom
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There were many times during my years in parish ministry when I felt uncomfortable within the Church of England.
Some of that discomfort came from decisions made at a national level. Statements would be issued, policies announced, or comments made publicly that sometimes felt far removed from the realities of ordinary church life. They were often shaped by conversations happening elsewhere, while those of us working within local communities were dealing with very different questions.
At times, those decisions seemed disconnected from the people I was actually serving. Occasionally, they even seemed to conflict with the work I was trying to do among the communities entrusted to me, creating difficulties that those making the decisions might never see.
It could be frustrating.
There were moments when I desperately wanted to distance myself from the institution entirely, or at least make it very clear that I did not agree with everything being said or done in its name.
But then I would look at the people in front of me. The family grieving the loss of someone they loved. The person quietly carrying a burden they had never shared with anyone else. The child discovering that church could be a place where they were welcomed and valued. The person asking difficult questions about faith, doubt and whether God was really there.
Those people mattered much more than my frustration.
Walking away in protest might have made a point, but at that moment it would also have meant walking away from the very people I felt called to serve.
Over time, I began to learn something important. Remaining within an institution does not necessarily mean agreeing with everything it does. It is possible to recognise flaws, question decisions, and still believe that the work being done among people is too important to abandon.
I did not have to pretend everything was perfect. But neither did I need to allow my disagreement to become my identity. Sometimes, the deeper freedom was knowing that the institution did not define me.
That experience has often made me think differently about one of the strangest miracles Jesus ever performed. It is a story about a tax bill, a fish and a coin.
At first glance, it makes almost no sense, but one small detail changes everything.
