Posts tagged Jesus

“But that’s not fair!”  This is a familiar phrase to any parent, teacher, and anyone else who has spent more than about 2 minutes around kids.  You’ve heard it and you know the tone it’s said in.  It is whining.  In fact I don’t think you can say the phrase without a whiny tone.  It is the ultimate example of complaining.  And you know the response.  ”Life’s not fair.”

If the first statement is the ultimate in whining, that reply may very well be the ultimate in indifference.  You might as well have said “Oh, are you upset?  I’m sorry.  Here let me get you a straw, so you can suck it up.”

We don’t like inequality feeling cheated.  We want to make it sound like we are concerned with justice and fairness; but honestly we really only say “but that’s not fair” when things aren’t working out in our favor.

I remember hearing those 3 dreaded words in response to my own whining as a kid.  ”Life’s not fair.”  I was always tempted to reply with something like “Well, that doesn’t mean we can’t do our part to make it better.  And what better place to start than right here, right now, with my issue.”  I never did say anything though.  I figured if someone was that indifferent to justice my issue, they would probably not appreciate back talk either.

Looking back though I see how self-centered that was.  I know it sounds noble getting everyone doing their part to work towards ending injustice.  But, really? With all the issues in the world, from kids going hungry, war, slavery etc. the best place I could find to start as with the fact that Timmy got a bigger piece of cake than me?  I should have seen that justice wasn’t what I was focused on.  My concern was for myself.  I wasn’t upset that the pieces weren’t the same size, I was upset I didn’t get the big piece.

In Matthew 20 Jesus tells a story about some people in a similar situation.  A man owned a vineyard and needed some people to work it.  He went out, found some people, and agreed to pay them a fair wage for the day.  They went to work.  As they day goes on the owner continues to hire people to work, agreeing to pay them a fair rate.  He even hires a group of workers with only one hour left in the work day.  When the day closes he calls all the workers to pay them, starting with those hired last.  And a funny thing happens.  He pays those who only worked an hour the same rate he agreed to pay those he hired in the morning.

So obviously, those who were hired first figure they will be getting more, a bonus of sorts.  But when they are paid they find they received exactly the same as those hired last.  And they cry out “but that’s not fair.”  They worked all day and got the same pay as those who only worked an hour!  How can that be?  The owner responds, and tells them; actually it is fair.  He paid them exactly what they agreed to.  If he chooses to be generous with others, that is up to him.  After all it is his money; he can do what he likes with it.  

When I think about it, those complaining workers weren’t concerned about justice.  They were upset because, well, they didn’t get the biggest piece of cake.  They were obsessed with looking out for their own needs and best interest.

And so, Jesus reminds us, that the last will be first, and the first will be last.  That is, we need to learn to think and live differently; backwards to what we know.  Instead of being obsessed with our needs and looking out for our own interests, we are called to put the needs of others first, and to live generously.  This is bigger than making share everyone gets “their fair share.”  This is about making sure there is a big piece of cake, and then making sure someone else gets it.  Someone overlooked and in need.  What is even crazy is when we do this, and make ourselves less, Jesus says we have achieved true greatness.  We are first in his eyes.

I recently had to renew my insurance policy.  One more bill to pay is never fun.  But this time I also had to review my renters insurance and make sure it was still adequate.  So I started walking through the house, doing my best to remember, guess, and otherwise estimate what it would cost to replace the items in each room.  

It gave me a lot of insight and started a lot of thoughts.  I could write about quite a few different things after that.  The one thought I kept having the most though was this; “would I really be upset if I lost that?”  With the exception of a few personal items and family photos, my answer was no.  Honestly, I was feeling pretty good about myself with that one.  Until I gave it some more thought.  I realized the reason I wouldn’t be upset about losing most of this stuff is because I knew it would all be replaced with new stuff.

Suddenly I felt better about paying the insurance bill, and worse about myself.  Just as I was starting to think I’m not really all that attached to material stuff I learn that in fact I’m just not that attached my current stuff.  Apparently I sell out for much less, it doesn’t have to be my stuff, just so long as I have stuff, I’m happy.  Sad, I know.

The thought of truly giving up everything is overwhelming.  And it is what Jesus calls us to if we are going to follow him.  My response to this?  ”Sigh, ok, Jesus, if you say so.  I will do my best to give up my claim to everything for you, but I really don’t know if I like the idea very much.  Never the less, I will try to find the strength, by your grace, to grin and bear it.”  Again, sad, I know.

But I was recently reminded of just how true that attitude can be in my heart.  Myself and many of the students at TRIB3 are currently participating in Lent together.  So I am on a hiatus from Starbucks.  I don’t share that to make you think more of me, Lent doesn’t make me any holier.  In fact, this will probably do the opposite of that, but the story won’t make sense without knowing that for 40 days I am Starbucks free.  If you know me, you know that’s a big deal.  So for the past 2 weeks every time I would normally go to Starbucks, or I think about coffee, or breathe, I have been reminded.  And I sigh.  ”Ok Jesus, I guess you sacrificed for me, I can make a sacrifice for you, but it’s hard.”  Starbucks is hard, and Jesus wants everything!?! How will I ever do this?

And then I started to get ready to teach the parable of the Pearl of Great Price in Matthew 13:45-46.  And God reminded me of something I needed to hear; the reason the merchant sold everything.  The pearl was worth it, and that made the sacrifice a joy.

Could it be that I value stuff, coffee, and comfort more than my saviour?  Apparently.  I had started treating faith and following Jesus as a duty or an obligation.  Something to be endured with a certain stoicism.  How sad is that?

The truth is Jesus did more than just make a sacrifice for me.  He did the exact thing the merchant in the parable did.  Long before he called me to give up everything to follow him, he gave up everything so that I could.  He “though he was in the form of God did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”  - Philippians 2:6-8.

There is so much joy in losing everything with Jesus.  His sacrifice offers grace, forgiveness, love, and acceptance that makes any sacrifice I make an easy one.  How about you?  Have you ever found yourself sacrificing or living for Jesus out of obligation rather than joy?  Share in the comments.