God Gives as He Chooses

I have been reading the book of Matthew over the past month. So many of the passages really convict me and help me to change my life for the positive. But, most recently, I had what I like to call a lightbulb moment. I was reading a passage where Jesus shares a parable about several people that are idly hanging around town. The master of a vineyard tells these guys to get working. The first he tells in the morning. The second he tells in the afternoon, and the third, the day of work is almost over when he provokes him to work. At the end of the day, the master pays them all the same wages. And, to be expected, those that worked the whole day get pretty angry! However, the master states,

"Friend, I haven't been unfair. We agreed on the wage of a dollar, didn't we? So take it and go. I decided to give to the one who came last the same as you. Can't I do what I want with my own money? Are you going to get stingy because I am generous? Here it is again, the Great Reversal: many of the first ending up last, and the last first." Matthew 20: 13-16

It is so intriguing to me how the master responds. He questions the man on his judgement of his decision. He debates over the fact that those that come to the table late still get fed. So often, I can find myself in the place of judgement. I can think to myself, "why do they get the same reward, when they do not work as hard as me." But, here Jesus rebukes that train of thought. He challenges us to think that we cannot challenge his decisions to be generous with all that belongs to him because he is God.

As people that believe in Jesus, we need to embrace this passage in our lives. We need to not look to the left and right and determine who is greater and more deserving. We must not analyze talents, skills, qualities, and measure them according to our standards. God chooses to give as he sees fit. He is a generous God that decides when and how to give us what we need. It is when we start comparing what we have been given that we fall into a trap. Too often we want to see life through our eyes, but the reality is that God sees far beyond what we are capable. It is by faith that we must trust in his just decisions and move on from a place of judgement.

This passage is a challenging one. It slaps a lot of us in the face. When we are too concerned with us and how we get rewarded and how we are given gifts in talents, we began to use this to measure up to others. Rather than measure others, God is commanding us to let him choose and let him do the work with all of us. We must embrace that some he gives many talents and they may not have to work hard for them. We must embrace that he gives provision to people that may not work a day in their life. These are God's decisions and we must respect them.Let us not be like the man in the parable that questions God with judgement of others. Let us trust that he gives to us as he sees fit and we are so happy to receive it because we hardly deserve it!