Matthew 19:2 – 26:1
Wow, this was the longest passage yet, and definitely included too much material to reflect on all of it, or even to list out all the familiar stories and parables it contains! So I’ll only mention two that caught my attention.
The first is the parable of the workers in the vineyard, in Mt. 20:1-16, and it goes something like this: The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who goes out first thing in the morning and hires workers for his vineyard, agreeing to pay them a denarius for their day’s work. At the third, sixth, ninth and eleventh hours he goes out again and hires more workers. When he calls them all to be paid at the end of the day, he pays the last workers first, giving each a denarius. Those who were hired first are excited, thinking they’ll get more money, but they don’t. They are upset, but the owner reminds them that he paid what they agreed to work for, and he has the right to be generous with his own money if he wants to.
Sometimes I love this parable, and sometimes it annoys me. It is a beautiful portrayal of the grace of God – that He doesn’t give us what we “deserve” or give out extra points for having been a Christian longer – rather, He accepts each child with love and joy, and shows generosity to all. This makes me so grateful to God. What a relief! It is not my works or my perseverance that earns my way into heaven, but it is His free gift.
On the other hand, sometimes I think I do deserve a little something for my works. Why should someone who waits until the last minute and accepts Christ on their deathbed get the same reward as me? After all, I have been a Christian all my life and worked hard to follow Christ and avoid sin. Shouldn’t I get something for that? At times like these this parable annoys me. I feel like the first workers, and I understand their frustration. I feel like saying, “Hey, if you’re going to be so generous to those last folks, why don’t you want to be generous to us too? How come you’re only giving us what we earned, when you’re giving them much more?” At times like this I remind myself of Peter back in chapter 19 when, after hearing that it is hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven, he blurts out, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” (19:27) Peter and I often share this feeling. “But Jesus, I’ve done what you said and it hurts! Is it really going to be worth it in the end? It’s hard following your way, and it seems like those who don’t follow you enjoy themselves an awful lot… where is the joy for me?” I don’t like to admit to this prideful, grasping part of myself, but it rears its ugly head much more often than I care to think about or remember. I am continually reminded of how far I have to go on the journey of sanctification when I read this parable and think, “How could those first workers be so selfish? God’s grace is free and equal to all,” only to realize that I so often act out of the same selfish attitude.
I think part of the remedy for this involves going back to the little children and remembering that I don’t deserve anything from God. The work that I think I do for Him is completely sustained and made possible by His grace in my life – I can’t claim the credit for any of it! I am just a little toddler, holding on to my Daddy’s hand – able to walk upright only because He keeps me there. Without His support, I would fall every time.
This goes along with the second story that really grabbed me in this passage. It is the well-known picture of the judgment where Jesus separates the sheep from the goats. What particularly hit me this time is that the sheep are completely unaware of their good deeds. There is not a trace in them of thinking, “I’ll do all these nice things so I can get into heaven.” No! They are surprised when Jesus lists all the ways they have served Him.
Not so the goats! They are astonished that they haven’t done things for Christ! They were probably smug when they were separated from the sheep, thinking, “I’m fine, look at all the good things I’ve done! I’ve been a great person – I’ve given to charity, I’ve helped people, people thank me for the things I’ve done, I’m well known for being a philanthropist. But those folks over there, they’re not well known for anything!” I don’t want to be like this! Smug and content in my laundry list of good deeds, which are all like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) in His sight.
This shows me that it is not necessarily what “I do for Jesus” through consciously serving others that matters; rather, it is the kind of person I become. The kind of person who serves others simply because they are in need – who lives a lifestyle of service, without looking for gratitude or congratulations. Who does not boast about her good deeds, but rather seeks in humility to use the gifts God has given me for the benefit of others. This is the way Christ calls me to – the way of giving my life for others, as He gave His for me.
Wow, this was the longest passage yet, and definitely included too much material to reflect on all of it, or even to list out all the familiar stories and parables it contains! So I’ll only mention two that caught my attention.
The first is the parable of the workers in the vineyard, in Mt. 20:1-16, and it goes something like this: The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who goes out first thing in the morning and hires workers for his vineyard, agreeing to pay them a denarius for their day’s work. At the third, sixth, ninth and eleventh hours he goes out again and hires more workers. When he calls them all to be paid at the end of the day, he pays the last workers first, giving each a denarius. Those who were hired first are excited, thinking they’ll get more money, but they don’t. They are upset, but the owner reminds them that he paid what they agreed to work for, and he has the right to be generous with his own money if he wants to.
Sometimes I love this parable, and sometimes it annoys me. It is a beautiful portrayal of the grace of God – that He doesn’t give us what we “deserve” or give out extra points for having been a Christian longer – rather, He accepts each child with love and joy, and shows generosity to all. This makes me so grateful to God. What a relief! It is not my works or my perseverance that earns my way into heaven, but it is His free gift.
On the other hand, sometimes I think I do deserve a little something for my works. Why should someone who waits until the last minute and accepts Christ on their deathbed get the same reward as me? After all, I have been a Christian all my life and worked hard to follow Christ and avoid sin. Shouldn’t I get something for that? At times like these this parable annoys me. I feel like the first workers, and I understand their frustration. I feel like saying, “Hey, if you’re going to be so generous to those last folks, why don’t you want to be generous to us too? How come you’re only giving us what we earned, when you’re giving them much more?” At times like this I remind myself of Peter back in chapter 19 when, after hearing that it is hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven, he blurts out, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” (19:27) Peter and I often share this feeling. “But Jesus, I’ve done what you said and it hurts! Is it really going to be worth it in the end? It’s hard following your way, and it seems like those who don’t follow you enjoy themselves an awful lot… where is the joy for me?” I don’t like to admit to this prideful, grasping part of myself, but it rears its ugly head much more often than I care to think about or remember. I am continually reminded of how far I have to go on the journey of sanctification when I read this parable and think, “How could those first workers be so selfish? God’s grace is free and equal to all,” only to realize that I so often act out of the same selfish attitude.
I think part of the remedy for this involves going back to the little children and remembering that I don’t deserve anything from God. The work that I think I do for Him is completely sustained and made possible by His grace in my life – I can’t claim the credit for any of it! I am just a little toddler, holding on to my Daddy’s hand – able to walk upright only because He keeps me there. Without His support, I would fall every time.
This goes along with the second story that really grabbed me in this passage. It is the well-known picture of the judgment where Jesus separates the sheep from the goats. What particularly hit me this time is that the sheep are completely unaware of their good deeds. There is not a trace in them of thinking, “I’ll do all these nice things so I can get into heaven.” No! They are surprised when Jesus lists all the ways they have served Him.
Not so the goats! They are astonished that they haven’t done things for Christ! They were probably smug when they were separated from the sheep, thinking, “I’m fine, look at all the good things I’ve done! I’ve been a great person – I’ve given to charity, I’ve helped people, people thank me for the things I’ve done, I’m well known for being a philanthropist. But those folks over there, they’re not well known for anything!” I don’t want to be like this! Smug and content in my laundry list of good deeds, which are all like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) in His sight.
This shows me that it is not necessarily what “I do for Jesus” through consciously serving others that matters; rather, it is the kind of person I become. The kind of person who serves others simply because they are in need – who lives a lifestyle of service, without looking for gratitude or congratulations. Who does not boast about her good deeds, but rather seeks in humility to use the gifts God has given me for the benefit of others. This is the way Christ calls me to – the way of giving my life for others, as He gave His for me.
posted by Erin at 11:42 AM
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