Thanks for joining us on this journey of building a consistent habit of reading our Bibles every day. The Bible reading plan we are using this year can be found here: One Year Bible or here on the Bible app. As always, if you miss a day, don’t feel compelled to go back and catch up. Just skip it and start back on today’s date. I am reading the NLT this year, but feel free to use whatever version you prefer. Now here are some thoughts from today’s readings:
‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.“
– Matthew 20:12
Here Jesus teaches us even more tough truths. It can be hard to swallow that everyone can receive eternal life no matter how good or bad they lived. As long as they are in the vineyard at the end of the day, they got the same wages (heaven). The person who served God their entire life and died a martyr in a foreign land and the serial killer who turns to God in his last moments are both granted entrance into the kingdom of God. It’s the wonder of God’s amazing grace.
So, don’t look down at those who don’t know God like you do or haven’t served God as long as you. Don’t be jealous when they get opportunities or attention you think they don’t deserve or haven’t worked for. Remember, not only is their reward the same as yours, but so is their mission: to glorify God by leading as many people as possible into an intimate relationship with Him. When they win, God wins. When God wins, you win. The key is to remain thankful that God chose you at all, be faithful in what He has called you to do, and then watch as He is always faithful to do for you as He promised!
Are their believers you have looked down on or you consider unqualified? Have you ever been jealous of the opportunities of others?