May 5, 2024

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“Find out what pleases the Lord. Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise) so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth’.” (Ephesians 5.10; Ephesians 6.1-4)

REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

From the voice, grammatically speaking, Paul is directing this teaching at “all” the children in the house. Be it the House of the Lord or the house where the Lord is the authentic titular head of the household, the words are spoken with full intent to be heard by everyone. Hear this, mighty ones of God as believers in Jesus as the Christ, we are all children of God regardless of our age. I emphasize this following the pattern of the parable of the owner of a vast property who hired out harvesters to bring in what had been sown as it had come into its season of ripening. There was no time to be wasted or the bounty would be lost. He went into town at first light and hired those who were at the city gate waiting for work. He promised them a day’s wages and they agreed and went to work. After a few hours, he assessed their progress and through no fault of their own, the owner knew that more help was needed. As Jesus had said in another teaching, “The fields are white with harvest; the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” In this instance, it must have still appeared to the owner, as in the days of Moses in the wilderness, that the ground was covered white with manna from heaven. All should be gathered so that none was wasted. He went back to the city gate and found others who had gathered there to work having come late. They may have had little hope for work, intentionally or unintentionally, and were found out by the owner. He promised them a day’s wages for their labor to which they gladly agreed since the day was partially done. Still later, as the owner looked across the harvested estate, he saw that so great a harvest existed that additionally workers for the field was necessary. He returned again to the city gate. To his determined eyes, he was blessed that there some at the gate who had come for work. Perhaps some had finished a project for hire earlier and were still in hopes that they could make additional money. Perhaps some who had finished early or who had found the contracted day work was too difficult and left it behind hoping to find something less strenuous. Perhaps some had finished their labor but dared not go home unless there was work there for them to do which they did not desire to do being submissive to their wives, mothers or others who lived there. Still others may have determined to come later not being allowed to sleep the day away and instead of suffering further abuse, having no money for vice, came to the gate to wile the day away with excuses for no work and no pay. The owner found them there and contracted for labor at the price of a day’s wages. They were gladly engaged with such a blessing and went into the fields to finish the task at hand. When it was done, the workers gathered at the estate’s gate to receive their wages. The last were the first to return. They received a day’s wages. As they left regaling in their fortune, those who had worked half a day came. They received their contracted payment of a full day’s wages. While they heard the fortune of those who had worked not even a half day, they were only slightly dismayed because they, too, did not work a full day but received a full day’s wage. However, when those who had worked a full day came to the gate such would not be the case. They heard the stories of both former groups of laborers who had been paid a full day’s wage for not a full day’s work. They may have believed an injustice or misunderstanding was at hand. They may have considered the owner had seen the bounty of the harvest and had paid a bonus. If that was the case, they were in anticipation of an even greater return on their investment of faithful labor. But, when they arrived and received their contracted wages, it was found that their pay was as stated from the beginning: a full day’s wage. As they began to argue the point, the owner stated clearly that he had the authority to hire and pay as he saw fit. The priority was the harvest for which laborers were needed. Each had agreed to the terms which the owner of the estate had extended. So, the last were the same as the first and the first were the same as the last. (I am sure some of you are already prepared to argue the fairness of this to which I say “hear the intent of this story.”)

For those who hear the word of God and listen with response to the offer which is made: believe on Christ, submit to His name, take up your cross and follow Him all the days of your lives, the wage of eternal life with Him on earth as it is in Heaven is yours. Beyond any circumstance, the truth is the same and cannot be changed. However, if we do not fulfill our desire to be followers of Christ then there is a truly and literally “grave” consequence. Do not think that heaven is a caste system with haves and “have less.” It is the same for all to dwell in the presence of the Almighty. The appreciation of some may well be tempered by their trials and experiences in the world and gratitude may run like a deep river. Yet, the joy of their salvation is the Lord’s. No different is His joy for those who come to Him later in their life regardless of their age from the youngest to the oldest. So, it is that I offer for your reflection that Paul’s word to “the children” was applicable to everyone in the house and those “in the House.” The call to “honor your father and your mother” applied to all without any difference. Whether their parents were alive, were not among the saints or their parents had long since passed, the command to honor them carried the same promise: “that it will go well with you in your future.” And isn’t our future eternal in the heavens for those who believe the word, receive the word and allow the word to guide and direct them all our days? We are included in the promised wages for our good work as believers and followers of Christ. Remember, “The wages of sin is death but the gift of God through Jesus Christ is eternal life.” (Romans 6.23)

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, before we were conceived in the womb, You had already formed us in Your love and by Your Spirit brought us into being. Each one of us is blessed with the opportunity of doing right, being good and producing the fruit of the Spirit so that others may be fed the truth of that same love so that the two will become one. It is our soul’s sincere desire to embrace the oneness You have in mind that we would know that we are Your people and that You are our God. Lead us in that discovery of the truth and the manifestation of that love for us all. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.