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1998-03-17 - Not Fair!
Jesus' Difficult Teachings, Part 12
(Mat 20:9-16 NASB) ""And when those hired about the eleventh
hour came, each one received a denarius. 10 "And when those
hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; and they also
received each one a denarius. 11 "And when they received
it, they grumbled at the landowner, 12 saying, 'These last
men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have
borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.' 13 "But
he answered and said to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did
you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 'Take what is yours
and go your way, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.
15 'Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is
my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?'
16 "Thus the last shall be first, and the first last.""
I don't know about you guys, but I have at times felt a little dissatisfied
with this passage. : ) I guess it doesn't seem to go along with our notions
of fairness. How could the owner of the vineyard think it's fair to pay those
who just came on late in the day, the same as those who were wore themselves
out working all day long? Today, we might think, "How can God save someone
'horrible' like a serial killer, when he is on death row? How can God send
to Heaven someone who has lived a life of hatred and violence, and repented
in his last months of life?" But that is God's decision to make. All we are
responsible for is our decision to accept Christ. We are not to be in the
judging business.
(Mat 7:1-2 NASB) ""Do not judge lest you be judged.
2 "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your
standard of measure, it will be measured to you."
Sometimes we don't think God is being fair at the time, but later we see
that He had the best plan after all - imagine that. And sometimes we differ
with His timing, but that is His choice. He is God. And much to our
chagrin, we are not! There are some things we just need to accept simply
because He is God, and He is perfectly Just.
(Deut 32:4 NASB) ""The Rock! His work is perfect, For all
His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous
and upright is He."
Dear Lord, please help us to remember that You are always Just, and to
not try to put ourselves in Your place. In Jesus' name, amen.
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