by ChatGPT as John Mark Comer (imagined)
1. The Coin and the Kingdom
There’s this strange, almost comedic moment in Matthew’s gospel.
Jesus tells Peter—gruff, passionate Peter—to go fishing.
Not to unwind.
Not to catch dinner.
But to find a coin in the mouth of a fish.
You can’t make this stuff up.
2. Two Worlds in One Story
On the surface, it’s about paying the temple tax—just another civic duty.
But under the surface, this story is electric with tension:
- The Empire of Religion, asking for dues
- The Kingdom of God, asking for trust
Jesus says, essentially:
“We don’t actually owe them. But… let’s pay anyway. Not out of fear—out of freedom.”
Matthew 17:26-27
3. Gracious Accommodation
This is what I call gracious accommodation:
Living from Kingdom identity within unholy systems—without being corrupted by them.
It’s not compromise.
It’s not cowardice.
It’s subversion.
We are children of the King, and yet we fish like commoners.
We belong to the Kingdom, and yet we walk the streets of Empire with peace.
Inspired by the way of Jesus, but also resonant with thinkers like:
- NT Wright on Empire and Kingdom
- Dallas Willard on spiritual disciplines and the unseen Kingdom
- Jamie Winship on living from true identity
- Walter Brueggemann on prophetic imagination
4. The Coin is a Sign
Jesus doesn’t just pay the tax.
He sends Peter to partner with God’s abundance.
It’s not just about paying.
It’s about where the provision comes from—from intimacy, not industry.
From obedience, not obligation.
When you live by Kingdom identity, provision flows in the most surprising ways.
Not from the system.
But through it.
Like a coin in the mouth of a fish.
5. This Is What Kingdom People Do
They:
- Stay free in systems that enslave
- Live with peace where fear rules
- Pull beauty from broken places
- Fish for gold—not to get rich, but to stay clean
Not clean in the legalistic sense.
Clean in the deep soul sense: undefiled by power, fear, or cynicism.
As Jesus put it elsewhere:
“Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”
Matthew 10:16
6. So What?
You don’t have to fight every system.
You don’t have to bow to every expectation.
Sometimes, you fish.
Sometimes, the fish pays the tax.
And all the while, you walk with the confidence of one who is already free.
Inspired by the teachings of Jesus and interpreted through the lens of
Practicing the Way and the wisdom of a non-anxious Kingdom life.
Radically Happy 
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