That's a Little Tougher
A reading for Wednesday, June 25, 2014: Matthew 20:1-16.
Do you really want to know what "the last will be first, and the first will be last" looks like? Really? I mean it's one thing to say that, and even to claim to believe that, but to live that... well, that's a little tougher.
It means we don't get to choose up sides and compete for attention, since God gives attention to who God chooses and not who we choose.
It means we don't get to decide who's in and who's out, who's faithful and who's not, since God decides who's first and who's last and not us.
It means we are invited into faith, not because our own ability to find God and live for God, but in God's ability to find us and live for us.
Truth is we are better at grumbling at God for offering the same grace and faithfulness to others that we enjoy. Jesus said that those we think should be first are last and the ones we have condemned to be last in attention and faithfulness and righteousness are first. Whoops.
I heard a pastor once say that his job was helping people "win at the Christian life." How exactly do we do that? ...well, that's a little tougher. Isn't it?
"So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
Do you really want to know what "the last will be first, and the first will be last" looks like? Really? I mean it's one thing to say that, and even to claim to believe that, but to live that... well, that's a little tougher.
It means we don't get to choose up sides and compete for attention, since God gives attention to who God chooses and not who we choose.
It means we don't get to decide who's in and who's out, who's faithful and who's not, since God decides who's first and who's last and not us.
It means we are invited into faith, not because our own ability to find God and live for God, but in God's ability to find us and live for us.
Truth is we are better at grumbling at God for offering the same grace and faithfulness to others that we enjoy. Jesus said that those we think should be first are last and the ones we have condemned to be last in attention and faithfulness and righteousness are first. Whoops.
I heard a pastor once say that his job was helping people "win at the Christian life." How exactly do we do that? ...well, that's a little tougher. Isn't it?
"So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
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