It Isn't Fair

Proclamation of the Word

The kingdom of heaven is like a wealthy landowner .. you have all heard this parable before, and I am guessing that you all have questions about it, because it just isn’t fair.

it isn’t fair that some people worked longer hours and got paid the same.

it isn’t fair!

so how can the Kingdom of heaven be like this, if it isn’t fair??

In the time of Jesus, there were people who relied on getting casual work each day to be able to feed and support their families. they turned up at the town square each morning nice and early, in the hope of getting work for the day.

We hear from those who worked all day, they got the silver coin that was the payment for a casual worker for the day., and they complained when they saw what the others were getting.

But what of those who waited in the town square all day?  how might they have been feeling? think about it, you arrive early in the morning, and no one picks you; you may be a little older, or you may have an injury – and so you wait, wondering what will I feed my family today, and what if no one picks me again tomorrow, how will I look after my family?

then late in the day, close to the end of the work day, you and some others are still standing there, wondering how to feed your family, when someone offers you an hour’s work. you jump at the opportunity, it won’t pay much, but anything is better than nothing, and maybe he will hire me for longer tomorrow.

And then you get paid what you need to feed your family – how would you feel?

  

In the Lord’s prayer we pray for God kingdom to come, and we ask for daily bread. not daily truffles and caviar and champagne, but daily bread. enough food for the day, not luxuries or enough to store up for later.

this passage reminds me of the manna in the desert, each had enough for the day.

the kingdom of heaven is one in which all people are valued, and all receive what they need, not necessarily what they deserve or what we earn.

We don’t earn God’s grace, or forgiveness or love; nor do we deserve God’s grace or forgiveness or love.  But God offers each one of us grace and forgiveness and love, and much more besides.

When we pray, Your Kingdom Come, is it merely words or are we doing something to make the world a place of dignity for more people, even if it means we pay more for our clothes or food, so that those who produce our food can get paid adequately – that is why the church supports fair trade products.  

There is an image on the screen of a father talking to his daughter, and he tells her : that you only look in your neighbours bowl to see if they have sufficient, not see if they have more than you.

“Only look in your neighbours bowl to see if they have sufficient, not see if they have more than you.”

How often do we feel dissatisfied, not with what we have, but because it is less than what someone else has. how often do we compare our houses, cars, clothes, pay packets, church attendance, number of friends… ?

How often do we feel upset because we have been working for the church for many years, and then someone new comes in and gets the benefit?

How often do we wonder about people who make a deathbed commitment to follow Jesus, when we have walked the narrow road for many years?

The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner, who hires and pays people according to their need.

The Kingdom of heaven, is a kingdom of justice, a kingdom of need being met, not because we deserve it, not because we earned it, but because God is generous, and gracious and knows our need.

Reflection [from spill the beans]

Those who have been here forever

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.. we now take some time to reflect ..