Loving God of peace and healing, be with this nation. May the principles of forgiveness be with us all; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Matthew 20: 1 "God's kingdom is like an estate manager who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 They agreed on a wage of a dollar a day, and went to work. 3 "Later, about nine o'clock, the manager saw some other men hanging around the town square unemployed. 4 He told them to go to work in his vineyard and he would pay them a fair wage. 5 They went. 6 At five o'clock he went back and found still others standing around. He said, 'Why are you standing around all day doing nothing? 7 ' "They said, 'Because no one hired us.' "He told them to go to work in his vineyard. 8 "When the day's work was over, the owner of the vineyard instructed his foreman, 'Call the workers in and pay them their wages. Start with the last hired and go on to the first.' 9 "Those hired at five o'clock came up and were each given a dollar. 10 When those who were hired first saw that, they assumed they would get far more. But they got the same, each of them one dollar. 11 Taking the dollar, they groused angrily to the manager, 12 'These last workers put in only one easy hour, and you just made them equal to us, who slaved all day under a scorching sun.' 13 "He replied to the one speaking for the rest, 'Friend, I haven't been unfair. We agreed on the wage of a dollar, didn't we? 14 So take it and go. I decided to give to the one who came last the same as you. 15 Can't I do what I want with my own money? Are you going to get stingy because I am generous?' 16 "Here it is again, the Great Reversal: many of the first ending up last, and the last first." (The Message)
Oh, the grumblings of workers in God's Kingdom... One would think that no one would grumble and complain, but Jesus knew better and we're learning! Is it the working or the workers that we're about? Jesus' point is that there is much work to be done in bringing others to know God's love. Some will "get it" early in life, others, late in life. What does it matter? The question is, did the work get done? Did people come to know God as a loving, forgiving God who desires a relationship with you and me? Yet, our being human gets in the way and people grumble and point and compare. We rarely stop and just thank God that we're where we are for a purpose and a reason and we put ourselves to work. Yes, some will work in places that seem nicer than others; and some places are nicer than others. Some will work with many people; some will work in smaller groups. Some will work at getting more to come and be a part of the work; others will grumble that they're not been given a chance to grow, while doing nothing. Hmm. Some will lead lives of complete recklessness and could-care-less-ness, set bad examples, then one day, one word or sermon will completely change that man or woman, and their lives are different, knowing that they must be right with God and others will say, "Why them and why now?" This is sometimes true in some settings where these new believers might get the "job" or "office" some "older and long-time" members may have wanted but never got! Jesus was all about moving forward, thus His use of the plow illustration. The best rows are plowed when you look straight ahead and don't get distracted by looking right nor left - just do the work.
How are you plowing?
PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for the work I have. Use me to the fullest while I labor here and bless my efforts for Thy good. Forgive me times that I've looked to my left or right and thought I might have deserved this or that. Help me keep going. I pray this in Your name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
