Fair Enough

Scripture Passage that Caught my Attention Today: Matthew 20:13-15 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 14 Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’

Observation: Our sense of fairness is not necessarily a characteristic of the kingdom of heaven.

Application: One of the somewhat respected professions these days is that of law. Granted, there are many lawyer jokes and that is because there is perhaps a hint of truth in these jokes as well. Nevertheless, we still tend to tip our hat toward those who have passed the bar exam and been given a license to practice law. It has been said that everyone should have a good lawyer. It is an honorable profession dedicated to applying a sense of fairness and correcting grave injustices.

Interestingly enough, in the kingdom of heaven there will apparently be no need of lawyers.

(If it’s any consolation, pastors are not likely to be needed either. The Scriptures declare that no longer will people say to each other “know the Lord” for they shall all know the Lord, from the least of them to the greatest—which pretty much wipes out the need for preachers!)

In the kingdom of heaven our sense of fairness is turned on it’s head. Most of us would agree that those hired at the end of the day should not have received as much as those who worked all day. If there had been a Vineyard Union Local 285 they would have been all over that situation and demanded a reckoning.

But God’s kingdom is different from and strikingly other than our own. In that kingdom God decides what’s fair, plain and simple. We may agree or disagree with the ruling, but the ruling still stands.

Interestingly enough, God’s rulings are generally in our favor, not in the sense of giving us what we necessarily want, but instead offering to us what we really need. The folks in Jesus’ day didn’t really need the money as much as they needed a purpose for their life—a way to employ their abilities in faithful service. Jesus could see that. Unfortunately they were not able to see such things as clearly.

Prayer: Lord, when I got up this morning I knew the day would offer plenty to do—some of it for pay and other parts of it for simply living. I’m so very grateful for both. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(Readings today included: 2 Samuel 7, 1 Chronicles 17, Psalm 2, Matthew 20)