23 Aug 2017
There’s a part of us that agrees with that worker’s
complaint. “These last ones worked only
an hour and you gave them the same wage as we who’ve worked all day?!” It certainly sounds unfair. But, of course, there’s more to this parable
than money.
Being asked to work for the Lord is both a pleasure and an
encouragement. It’s a pleasure because
the Lord is so generous, as we know. And
it’s an encouragement because God has made us to be his instruments; to love
and to serve him. The “daily wage” in
the parable isn’t really the money; instead, it’s the privilege of having
labored for the Lord.
Being a disciple, a friend, and an instrument of the Lord is
itself worth more than “the usual daily wage.”
With that view of things, those workers who were hired at dawn actually
did receive more—if only they’d recognized the pleasure and the value of
working the whole day long for the Lord.
As we go about life, and we’re tempted to see others as more
successful, it’s good to remember this parable of the workers—because to be a
faithful instrument of God is worth more than all worldly success. And not only that—the wages of being a friend
of God aren’t held back until the end of the day, until the end of life. They’re paid out right now, every day.
It’s a good deal to be a friend and a laborer for God. The wages are great; he pays us with love and
peace. And we can enjoy those wages even
while we’re working. That’s a pretty
good deal.
No comments:
Post a Comment