For about 11 years of my life, I consistently worshiped, served, and hung out @ Windsor Village United Methodist Church. At the end of each service we ended with a congregational call to action[kinda like a go-team before we exited] We can do, all things, through Christ who stengtheeeeeeeeeeeeeeens us! More importantly, I believe that the church encouraged to look for the “all” that God called us to do. @ Windsor Village I got a change to develop writing, communication, witnessing and a host of other skills. They taught us to minister to the lost, guide other Christians, andbuild God’s kingdom just as we were; they encouraged us to use our gifts to the glory of God. Part of our youth mission statement included “to change the world”. I don’t know how many of my peers took those words seriously, but through the invention of facebook, I get to peak into the lives of that chosen generation that God blessed me to complement; they are definitely world changers. Unfortunately, I don’t feel like I have done the same. I know I believe that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, but I don’t feel like I have done all things…I understand that those wonderful people and I do not in the same race so this is not about comparing my achievements to their achievements. At this point in my life I feel like my all should be different that what it is now. So this morning, I want to investigate my all. I will look at my personality profile, the things God continues t open my eyes to, and a biblical example of someone in my “plight”. When I finish I hope to have encouraged us to appreciate our “all”.
Scripture gives us many examples of people who gave their all and seemed slighted for most of their lives: Abraham and Sarah, Elizabeth and Zechariah, Jesus! It seems equally full of people who seemed to reap where they didn’t sow: David, Lot, Paul, etc…The bottom line of this paragraph is simple: [LIFE ISN’T FAIR]. We read in scripture that the kingdom of God resembles an estate manager who goes out to hire workers for his vineyard [Matthew 20:1-16]. In the first few verses we learn that the estate owner agrees on a wage of a dollar with the hired hands and they begin to work diligently. This tells us that God, the “estate owner” already set up the consequences/rewards: you do ‘this’ then you get ‘that’. On the surface, that sounds so awesome; we know exactly what to do to get the results that we want. But the parable goes on in verses 3-7 to say that later the estate owner saw more unemployed men and sent them to work in the vineyard as well.
This liberal estate owner did the same thing for hours. All the way until an hour before closing time! Some of us feel like we have worked for a long time, I know I do. I did everything I was supposed to do: loved others, worked hard, played fair, served God, finished school on time, etc. It seems like I did everything I was supposed to do from the time the “vineyard” opened. Then we know people who started work late: they didn’t love others, play fair, work hard, or serve God for so long but then they FINALLY came around. So when the day ended the foreman paid everyone the same amount of money! I know it’s wrong but this would have definitely bothered me. I would have felt like my results should have outweighed their results! I gave my all, my entire day, and I get the same pay as someone who gave not even half of their day. In those moments I have to remember this: The LORD is compassionate and gracious [Psalm 103:8] and that my God will meet all my needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus [Philippians 4:19]. Those who the manager hired first assumed they would get far more but they got the same amount and became angry saying “'These last workers put in only one easy hour, and you just made them equal to us, who slaved all day under a scorching sun.” God can do what he wants to do but the word tells us that he acts faithfully, justly, graciously, mercifully, and compassionately…so maybe a dollar was all each man needed. Maybe what I have now is all I need now; thank God that life isn’t fair. I know people who started work late and honestly, I don’t want to see them trying to live with what they deserve. More importantly I should be thankful that God continues to bless the work of my hands and provide for me. God continues to bless me with skills, talents, opportunities, and the like to the point that I have become a seasoned veteran.
This liberal estate owner did the same thing for hours. All the way until an hour before closing time! Some of us feel like we have worked for a long time, I know I do. I did everything I was supposed to do: loved others, worked hard, played fair, served God, finished school on time, etc. It seems like I did everything I was supposed to do from the time the “vineyard” opened. Then we know people who started work late: they didn’t love others, play fair, work hard, or serve God for so long but then they FINALLY came around. So when the day ended the foreman paid everyone the same amount of money! I know it’s wrong but this would have definitely bothered me. I would have felt like my results should have outweighed their results! I gave my all, my entire day, and I get the same pay as someone who gave not even half of their day. In those moments I have to remember this: The LORD is compassionate and gracious [Psalm 103:8] and that my God will meet all my needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus [Philippians 4:19]. Those who the manager hired first assumed they would get far more but they got the same amount and became angry saying “'These last workers put in only one easy hour, and you just made them equal to us, who slaved all day under a scorching sun.” God can do what he wants to do but the word tells us that he acts faithfully, justly, graciously, mercifully, and compassionately…so maybe a dollar was all each man needed. Maybe what I have now is all I need now; thank God that life isn’t fair. I know people who started work late and honestly, I don’t want to see them trying to live with what they deserve. More importantly I should be thankful that God continues to bless the work of my hands and provide for me. God continues to bless me with skills, talents, opportunities, and the like to the point that I have become a seasoned veteran.
That’s right, trials and experiences have rendered me competent; this makes me a seasoned veteran: I have experience and education. I have always had the character, integrity, and discipline employers look for but constantly in the job market I am looked over. I know my story isn’t unique: God continues to open my eyes to that fact. Recently, I attended Between Job Ministries, “a free, Christ-centered support ministry of NorthWest Bible Church” which provides “encouragement, information, networking, spiritual guidance, and job search skills training in a Christian setting. The ministry is open to job seekers of all backgrounds and denominations.” When I arrived to the meeting, the cars filled the parking lot almost to capacity: hundreds of well qualified people without jobs, some of whom had been searching for weeks, months, and even years for a job just like me. In all honesty it made me feel better. When things don’t go as expected, it isn’t necessarily because something is wrong with you. Scripture reminds us that God causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous Matthew 5:45.
When I first began typing this blog, I wanted to include my personality profile. However, it doesn’t seem to fit anymore so maybe I will tap on that in another blog. In conclusion I want to encourage you in that the consequences and results are already set. You can’t deserve a blessing; God gives them to you freely. In times when you are not receiving it may not necessarily be because you are doing something wrong. Keep giving your all, do what you are supposed to do, and everything else will work itself out.
