I don’t know which is more frightening…knowing that if I don’t pay my debts God is coming to exact payment from me, or knowing that I don’t have enough resources to pay the bill. Both are true.
The story is about the landowner (God) who has sent His Son (Jesus) to collect what was due (recognition, worship, praise and honor) but instead he was rejected and killed. I noticed today the connection with the second passage, where Jesus says “give to God what is God’s”. Jesus is only asking for what He is due. He deserves our contrition, our repentance, our worship and our testimony. He isn’t asking that we “foot the bill” for our own sin. If we had to do that, none of us would ever enter heaven. Instead, He paid the price Himself, and now He asks that we acknowledge Him. Thinking of it in that way, I do have what is necessary to pay for my sins. I have a friend in Jesus, whom I love and serve…and He covers the bill. So I never need to be afraid that God is coming to collect what is owed….because nothing is owed. My debt has been paid in full. The Lord is free to have any or all of the fruit of my vineyard…because the vineyard belongs to Him, and I belong to Him.
It occurs to me as I read verse 38 and following that there will be some people in heaven seated at the head table who didn’t amount to anything on earth. I guess there isn’t any problem with honor and respectful greetings…as long as we don’t “desire” them. I think the issue here is the desire to be seen as important. I suspect that many people, ministers or laity…it doesn’t matter, are kind and thoughtful while in public and then greedy and deceitful when they think no one is watching. I don’t want to paint all politician with the same color, but it seems to me that the majority of them are this way. Behaving one way in front of the camera, and another way in private. Ironically, they are often chastised by ministers who are doing the very same thing. I’ll bet we will be surprised at who is rewarded in heaven. The true servants don’t try to constantly be in the limelight…so they are often overlooked.
Case in point: the poor woman who put two small coins in the collection plate. The percentage of her earnings that she gave to God was 100%. The wealthy were giving around 10%. It would be unnoticed by most people…but Jesus sees it clearly. I wonder how many poor widows will be much closer to the Lord than I?
Lord, today help me to be more generous toward you. I often reserve a little so I have it to offer later, today help me to realize that I don’t need to hold back. Help me to give, to worship, to pray, to serve…..extravagantly.
Seeking the deeper walk
PR