(Audio)
'My friend, I am not cheating you.
Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?
The LORD is generous. He calls us into the vineyard and if we will go he gives us the wages of everlasting life. The good thief on the cross receives the same wage as someone like Paul who spends much more of his life in the LORD's service. The LORD does not pay an hourly wage. He does not in fact give us what we earn. His call to the vineyard is a call to purpose, a call to be not just laborers, but his laborers. As long as we choose to be his he will give us salvation. To work in the vineyard itself is a privilege, a blessing, a way to show love to the LORD.
We have the wrong sense of what we deserve. This is why we tend to replace the direct rule of the LORD with the rule of kings we appoint for ourselves. The best of these kings seem to have good gifts and fruits to offer us. Sadly the best kings aren't interested in the job.
'Must I give up my wine that cheers gods and men,
and go to wave over the trees?'
We seek after kings who can secure our rights and give us blessings. But we only end up with bosses interested in what they can extract from us. We do not find ourselves working for the landowner of the parable if we start from this perspective of ensuring that we get all that we can. The problem with that motivation is when we try it we usually end up with less than ever, used by kings rather than cared for in the service of the LORD.
But the buckthorn replied to the trees,
'If you wish to anoint me king over you in good faith,
come and take refuge in my shadow.
We have deeply rooted beliefs about what we deserve. We have hard to break motivations protecting what is we believe is ours by right. Let us learn to relinquish these comparisons between what we get and what others get and learn to appreciate the blessings the LORD gives.
What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?
Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?
Are you envious because I am generous?'
When we surrender ourselves to the payment plan of the LORD we find that we do have a king reigning over us, a generous king, who does more for us than we ever thought to ask.
For you welcomed him with goodly blessings,
you placed on his head a crown of pure gold.
He asked life of you: you gave him
length of days forever and ever.
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