Our Christian faith presents us with many challenges. Some of the hardest challenges are the requirements that we be humble and that we be accepting. Jesus humbled himself here on earth, working to serve others, ultimately giving himself completely for all the world – for me, for you, for everyone you know.
He also accepted people, accepted them where they were in their knowledge and in their beliefs. Then he elevated them and educated them and enlightened them, but he did it in love and not out of a patronizing spirit.
Today’s passage is the parable of the workers in the vineyard. It is a difficult parable to understand and accept. What does the landowner do? What agreement is made? How many more times does he hire more workers?
At the end of the day, what is the reward for the last workers? What do the first workers expect? What do they receive? How do they react?
I cannot read this without picturing the church congregation. There are many in the church who have been members since childhood – raised in the church, always attending, always believing. What motivation do they have for believing? Perhaps one motivation is the promise of eternal life, a life of bliss in heaven.
Still others have been members for years, but joined later in life, after getting married and having children. Their motivations may be the same as the first group. Another group of the congregation are those who have started attending and joined since I have been the pastor.
Then there is another group – those people who do not come to church, who have never come to church, who do not know about Jesus.
All of these groups are like the workers, coming into the kingdom at different times. But the result is the same. All who come to Christ, who accept his sacrifice and forgiveness, who work to live a Godly life, will be rewarded with a rich relationship with God and the promise of eternal life.
But there are many who struggle with humility. Rather than celebrating that more have been brought in to find Christ, they grumble. “I have been a member longer.” Is there a higher tier of heaven for these?
They struggle with acceptance. They resist the new members and they treat the stranger with contempt. Their attitude that these un-churched are dirty and unworthy is evident to everyone.
These are the attitudes we need to remove. Is Jesus being unfair to those who have been faithful the longest? Are we envious because God is generous? If we answer “yes” to either of these, then we have more work to do, but the work must be done in our own hearts.
DAILY CHALLENGE: What is your attitude to those who have not believed in God as long as you have? What can you do to make it a more holy attitude?
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