A LITTLE BIT of news drew my attention this morning. Disputers for the second year protested at the Academy Awards because no blacks were included in the prize. When I was a girl I looked forward to the awards. But thru the years it has become more of a celebration of foul mouth, dysentery and indecent behaviors and exposures. Those who attend the movies tell the tales, but the stars want the accolades of their comrades. They want to be included in the ‘who’s who’ for any given year!
WHEN the super bowl rolls around plans are made and the guest list grows long. Granted, many want to watch the game, but mostly it is about the food and of course who’s on the ‘who’s who’ list. The football fans who attend choose their team because, more than likely, neither team is their favorite! I guess the winners, are the ones who chose the winning team!
COMPETITION is a long running game. Some thrive on competition and others just sit on the side lines becoming engrossed in the success or failures of those who are actually playing the game. It takes more than what I have, to sit that long any more, to watch the game. But I do remember being in the stands watching “Crazy Legs Hersh” running the length of the field in pouring down rain. Was I rooting for the winner? No! I just went because my brother wanted to go and no one else would go with him.
JESUS tells the story of the workers standing on the corner hoping someone would come along and hire them for the day. A landowner drove up and promised them all a days wage and they jumped on board. The job required more workers so mid morning the landowner went back to the corner of hopefuls and hired an additional crew for the same wage. The job was still in progress but not completed at noon, so the landowner became hopeful, and find more applicants standing on the corner and hired the rest of them for a days wage. The landowner went two more times that day and hired more workers for the same wage. When the job was completed the landowner ordered that all workers be paid, beginning the with those hired last. Each were paid a fair wage as promised. Which was the same wage!
WHAT A DAY! Those who worked only one hour were paid the same as those who worked all day. When the men who worked all day received their fair wage, they began to grumble. The landowner responded with “Listen, Friend, I have not cheated you. After all, you agreed to do a days’s work. Now, take your pay and go home. I want to give this man who was hired last as much as I have given you. Don’t I have the right to do as I wish with my own money? Or are you jealous because I am generous!” Matthew 20:13-15
THE CENTRAL theme in this parable is that the workers in the Kingdom of heaven will all receive the same reward, which is eternal life, even though they work different periods of time. Some come to Christ early in life and worked all day. Others do not learn of Christ until late in life, and only work “one hour!” There are differing levels of responsibility. There are different talents brought to the table. God’s reward is the same for all!
“AND JESUS CONCLUDED; So those who are last will be first, and those who are first will be last.” Matthew 20:16 First last and the last first; Interesting phraseology! This was saying that the Jews, who were first to be called by God, would not receive more than the Gentiles (which is us), who were last to be called. The first to be called to the Kingdom of heaven was the Jews. But God grafted in the Gentiles (adopted us) as well.
WE ARE NOT in competition for who’s who! God’s favor is for those who are on His team. We belong to Him! We are not our own, we have been bought with a price. Let us consider the price paid as we love one another. Let us choose to activate our tired bones and leave our place on the side lines. All for one and one for all! Jane Ann Crenshaw 2/27/16
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