HEART CONDITION

 I just finished reading 'The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard' from Matthew 20:1-16.  

In this parable a landowner hired men to work for the day in his vineyard for a denarius.

Then he goes back out and finds more men at 9:00 and hires them.  

Again at noon and 3:00, he hires even more men.

Finally, at 5:00, he hires still more men.

Max Lucado describes these last men:

"They had been sitting in the square all day, shifting their weight from foot to foot, scuffing their sandals in the dust, waiting.

Unless someone came along soon with even the smallest request for work, they would have no money - and no food - to bring home to hungry families. 

When a prosperous farmer came into view, spirits lifted.

He would put the lot of them to work for the rest of the day.  They couldn't hope to earn much in these last few hours - a few sheckles at best - but it was better than nothing.  Gratefully, they joined the other workers in the field.   

 At day's end, they filed out of the fields past the owner with his money purse.  It was then that each man experienced an astonishing kindness.

A full day's wage was placed in each hand.

Though they had arrived late and accomplished little, they experienced the fullness of grace."   [Experiencing the Heart of Jesus, p.66] 

Max puts the emphasis on the needs and desperation of the last men hired.  They were surely overwhelmed with the kindness of this wealthy farmer!

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Yet, I must confess that when I read this parable, I almost always identify with the first men hired.  I find myself thinking how unfair it was that they worked so much longer in the heat of the day and received the same pay as those who worked only for an hour.  I find myself thinking about hiding out the next day and only being "discovered" toward the end of the day.  

I know - that's sick!  But I have a high standard of fairness and this passage seems to violate that standard.  

Ah, but what if one of those workers was my brother?  I know he isn't feeling well.  I'm aware of how much he needs money and work.  His children haven't had new shoes in over a year.  His wife faithfully makes the best meals she can with their limited resources.  

I'm excited when I see him show up toward the end of the day!  I'm happy for him!  When he receives a full day's wage, I'm ecstatic for him!  How wonderful!  Praise the Lord!  What a generous and good farmer!  

Why can't I feel the same for all of the men hired later than I was hired?  

Kind and Gracious God,

I'm ashamed of myself.  I am stingy and vengeful.  I need spiritual heart surgery!  

I don't like the way I am.  I want to have the genuine interests of all people in my heart.    I want to really care about them and cheer for them when good things happen.  I don't want all my thoughts to be about me and just my family.  I want to be that guy who congratulates others on their good fortune;  who claps them on the back with real joy at the favorable turn of events in their lives!  I don't want to fake this, I want it to be the real overflow of my heart!   

Help me to view my neighbors, those who ride in my Lyft car, those who serve me at stores and restaurants, those I meet through the course of any given day, those who share a seat with me on the bus, at the doctor's office, or in church - with compassion and caring.   Help me to celebrate their victories and bear their burdens, for Jesus' and His Kingdom's sake.  Amen  

 

 

GENESIS 19 SPEAKS TO US!

Whew! Genesis 19 is not one of the enjoyable chapters of our Bible!

God sends two angels to visit Lot in Sodom. Lot takes them into his home and despicable things happen that evening. They were apparently sent to evaluate the situation and quickly determine that this city (and its twin city, Gomorrah) must be destroyed.

The chapter is fraught with a sense of urgency! At daybreak the next morning you get the sense that these two angels are pushing Lot and his family out of the city! Their words: "Flee for your lives! Don't look back, and don't stop anywhere on the plain. Flee to the mountains or you will be wiped away!" [v.17]

As they are escaping, the destruction begins as "...the LORD rained down burning sulphur on Sodom and Gomorrah - from the LORD out of the heavens. Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, including all those living in the cities - and also the vegetation in the land." [vs.24-25]

But, as a result of Abraham's prayers, Lot (and his immediate family) were rescued from this devastation!

Not much more is said about this event in scripture, however, the prophet Ezekiel brings it up in his book.

Ezekiel 16:49 (NIV)

"Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen."

Margaret Feinberg writes about this: [the organic God, pp.144-5]

As a contributing member of an arrogant culture, whose pride reaches international proportions, I make my donations in small ways every day - through self-righteous and better-than-you attitudes, insensitive, self-serving opinions, and nationalistic tendencies and beliefs. My pride puts itself on display in the ways I shop, dress, eat, and talk, and is only compounded by the fact that I live in an over-fed prosperous society. While thousands are quietly starving, I'm busy buying a 12-pack of paper towells at Costco. Such bounty reveals that real poverty comes from both lack of access as well as abundance of excess. The result is an unconcerned apathetic response to those in need which almost reads like an equation:

Arrogant + Overfed = Unconcerned

Now that doesn't mean I'm not quick to respond to need - especially my own - but when it doesn't concern me, involve me, or somehow help me, there's a tendency to get only minimally involved, or worse, not get involved at all.  

She sort of nails it - don't you think? Uncomfortably so. I don't want this to be true of me. I want to genuinely care! I want to share. I want to be generous.

But there's also the reality of compassion fatigue! I can't help everybody in the world! The needs are constant and overwhelming!

Where is the balance?

Kind and Gracious God,

Through the convincing and convicting work of Your Holy Spirit - GUIDE ME! Please!

Father, forgive me for a pattern of apathy and blaming others.

O God! Help me not to be arrogant, overfed and unconcerned! Don't give up on me!

To the contrary, help me to be humble, just and compassionate - EVERY DAY!

Help me to constantly remember that "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." [Luke 12:48].

This is my urgent prayer, and I lift it to You sincerely in Jesus' name. Amen.

CHRISTMAS TURN-OFF

Upon returning from retreat, Deb and I had dinner at Bob Evans last night and then did a walk-through at the mall.

The parking lot was jammed!  I literally parked facing the outer curb of the massive parking lot!

I hadn't been there in awhile, so I was shocked at what I saw.  In the major department stores tables were stacked high with techie gifts and other attractive gimmick items.  There's an obvious anticipation of selling huge volumes of these things. 

Main passageways were lined with eye-catching items.  Sale signs were everywhere;  I think it's so nice of them to have all these 'sales' right when we're all buying things for Christmas - don't you?

I watched people's faces.  I didn't see many joyful ones.  Most people looked angry or dazed.

I had to wait awhile at the counter in the Yankee Candle Store as the clerk wrapped my gifts.  Several customers were cared for during my wait.  The clerks were so courteous and friendly.  I found that the customers were repeatedly rude.  They treated the clerks disrespectfully.  I was surprised by that!

I would like to report that a number of people wished me a Merry Christmas - including one man who held the door for us as we left the mall!  That was encouraging to me!

Although I enjoyed my time with Debbie, I felt my joy slipping away.  I actually left in a quiet mood.  I felt - - - - embarrassment. 

It's a delusion to think that anything material will bring any measure of long-term joy.  But we seem to have missed that lesson somewhere. 

For those of you who consistently follow this blog:  This is what happens if you read books by David Platt and Francis Chan.  I told you - DON'T READ THEIR BOOKS!