Life Isn't Always Fair; Do Not Despair

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.

For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 

                                (Isa 60:1-2 KJV)

Life is just not fair. After all; was it fair that Jesus would have to be tortured and die for our sins?

Life isn't always fair. Yet, those who live in the light of the Lord have hope because they know that the darkness has been overcome.

Do not despair. The light who is Jesus the Christ has come into the world. Rise up and live life in the light of Christ!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Justice For God's Children

O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.

And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.

And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.

Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.

                                                                              (Isaiah 54:11-15 KJV) 

Here is the word of God that I stand on today for the sake of all of God's children who are oppressed; for the sake of all who desire peace and justice in the face of injustice.

May God grant them justice and peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Was It Fair?

“But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous? So the last will be first, and the first will be last.'” (Matt 20:13-16 NIV)

In the parable of the workers of the vineyard, there were those who complain that some received better wages than others.  They complain that the wages are not given out fairly. Those who work for one hour receive the same payment as those who labor all day. In the end, Jesus' response is: “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Matt 20:16)

The complaint of those who came first came; of those who thought they should get more of something than others should get, is not an unfamiliar story. We often hear and sometimes it is we who complain that we were there first. We did this. We did that. Why, oh, why is someone else getting the same pay as we are getting? We've been here working and serving much longer than others. Why, oh, why is he or she getting a promotion before me? I was here long ago. They were not? Why, is this or that person being put in a position of authority? Why are they being honored or awarded? I've earned it. They have not. 

We often complain that life is not fair. What we think we deserve, we do not always get. What we think should go to us sometimes goes to others. Throughout scripture we read of people receiving what they have not earned. God blesses whom He chooses to bless because He is God and usually the one He chooses is the one who would be considered less than. 

David was a mere shepherd boy. They youngest of many sons. Yet, God chose him to be king; to rule over His people. Did this shepherd boy deserve to be king? He was so young. What could he have possibly accomplished for God to be calling him? But, God knew what David would do way before David could even begin to fathom it.

Jesus was born in a barn to a very young woman. He was not born into wealth. His family was not of any upper echelons of authority or power. He came from a very average family. But, God chose that average family. That young woman was chosen to bear incarnate God. Joseph, although we hear very little about him, was chosen to be the earthly father of God's only begotten Son. They did nothing in particular to deserve these high honors. Yet, God chose them. For whatever reason, God decided to bless them with the privilege of raising Jesus. And, the Son... What about Jesus? Did he deserve what he got? Did he deserve; was it really fair that Jesus had to die for our sins? He did nothing wrong. He was without sin. Yet, he took our places and our punishment so that we might be reconciled to our Father in heaven. Was it fair for one man to receive the penalty for the sins of the whole world?  He put himself last, humbled himself for us, and now is first in the Kingdom of God. He reigns!

Life may not always seem like it's fair. God does not think or act like we do. Even His justice is not like our justice. That is a real good thing for us. He is much more merciful than we are. What seems right or just in our eyes, doesn't necessarily make it just in God's eyes. Jesus says the last shall be first and the first will be last. Something about that just doesn't seem right to us. But, it is God's word. It is his plan for the good of all who love Him.

Thanks be to God, it is He who is in charge and not we.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Fair Days Labor

Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.  (James 5:1-6 NIV)

Justice in regards to pay can be a balancing act. On the one side there are those in this world who get rich off of the unfair wages and labor of others. There are those who do not get paid fair wages for an awful lot of work. The rich get richer on the backs of the poor who get poorer. However, on the other side there are also those who would have everything given to them without a fair days labor given for those wages.

As some employers get rich while paying their employees minimum wages; others lose their businesses because they cannot keep up with the continual rising costs of having employees. The cost of unemployment taxes, workman's compensation, and other insurances can be prohibitive for many small businesses, eventually leading to not only loss of jobs for employees; but, for the employer, as well. I know more than one small business; although their employees do not get rich, the owner actually makes less than their employees while contributing more time and work. Just because someone owns a small business we ought to be careful not to consider that they are getting rich on the backs of their employees. Some suffer in order to provide their employees employment.

We live in a country where we have many freedoms that people in many other countries do not have. We are still one of the richest countries in the world. We thank God for this economic freedom; but, at the same time we must beware that this economic freedom does not become a god in itself for us. As individuals, as Christians, we must strive to pay fair wages in exchange for fair labor. As individuals, we ought to strive to provide fair labor for the fair wages we are paid. We need to try to ensure that our corroded gold and silver don't become testimonies against us.

Whether we are employers or employees; whatever we do, we do it unto the Lord; so that God is glorified. Do justice for your employee and your employer so that all may eat and none should suffer.

God's Peace - Pr. J