Enjoy Life, Enjoy God

GOD ON TRIAL

March 1, 2013

It's not a new thing for humans to judge God: we hear things about God and then render a verdict as to whether we agree with it or not, as if God is defined by our verdict. Such has been going on forever, I suppose.

When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. "These men who were hired last worked only one hour," they said, " and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day."
                                                     --Matthew 20:11,12 TNIV

Jesus tells the parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (20:1-16). Workers hire on for the day, and agree to work for a wage; some others come on at noon, and agree to the wage...and just before quitting time, the owner hires some more. However, he pays all the same, albeit prior agreed upon. The workers cry out against injustice, and the owner's "unfairness." "You're paying everyone the same." But the owner has nothing to do with their whining, and reminds them they were paid according to prior agreement. Jesus ends saying, this is the way the kingdom of God IS!

How like us. Our righteous and perfect God speaks something, does something, and we think we are in a position to say to God, "You are unfair, unjust." Do we really think that a loving and holy God needs our counsel to decide what is fair by our standards, and our depravity. Will God ever stand in court before us? Instead, we might take comfort in God's justice, love and mercy, and cease trying to help out God!

Joyfully,

Dale Patterson