Matthew 20:1-10 Yes, please read it.
The landowner went out at 6:00am and hired day laborers for work in his vineyard/factory. He agreed with them, meaning he discussed with them, on the usual daily wage. These were, no doubt, the strongest, most fit and experienced workers who were chosen - the FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICKS. The landowner went back out at 9am and found others who were not yet hired by anyone and hired them, saying, "I will pay you whatever is right". How relieved they must have been, thinking that no one would hire them that day, so their families would not eat that day, to hear that they would have work (though not the BEST of the lot), and be paid FAIRLY. The landowner went out again at Noon and 3pm and did the same - hired now the least qualified and most desperate to feed their families. Then, the landowner did the unthinkable - he went out at 5pm, one hour before "quittin' time" and hired some who had not been picked by ANYONE, ALL DAY. They worked only one hour, because the work day ended at 6pm. He lined them up, the ones hired at 5pm first and then the rest. He gave those who worked ONE HOUR a FULL, DAILY WAGE, because they also had to feed their families. Those who worked 12 hours thought that they would get more, because if these got the daily wage, surely they were ENTITLED to MORE than them - that would only be FAIR! But the landowner was being, not unfair, but BEYOND FAIR. They didn't like it, because someone ELSE caught a break and got what they needed, when they felt entitled to MORE than they needed for what they did. The landowner gave them a lecture on being envious over his generosity. Those who worked ONE HOUR got a DAILY WAGE, because they - not deserved, but NEEDED the daily wage to feed their families, and they were less likely to get hired the next day again!
You see, the Value of the Kingdom of God is Grace - undeserved loving mercy given freely, and NOT earned merit.
And like salvation by Grace and not earned merit, because we NEED IT, so in THIS PART OF GOD'S KINGDOM we are to live that value.
For instance - in our nation -
What if employers, when the recession hit, took less profit for stockholders and executives, rather than laying of workers whose families needed their income? Some did that - very few. Others laid people off specifically to get large bonuses for themselves.
What if employers paid a LIVING WAGE with BENEFITS, even though it meant less profit for themselves, because their employees NEEDED IT?
What if employers hired at FULL CAPACITY, because there are too many folks unemployed right now, when they could do with fewer employees working harder, and make therefore make more profit (even bonuses) for themselves?
What a concept - executives, owners and stockholders who make the largest incomes take a little less to allow more people to have more of what they NEED!
Unfortunately, I believe people - even those who call themselves "Christians" - will continue to label this ANYTHING they can to keep us from adopting this Kingdom Value taught by Jesus.
And in the end, they will go away sad when Jesus comes calling, because their love for personal profit and wealth was greater than that for others in need, and it keeps them from going with Jesus - Matthew 19:16-22
Sad, indeed!
Pastor Jamie
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