Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what
is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous? Matthew 20:15
Jesus taught
using some intriguing stories or parables. This scripture above comes from a
larger passage and I can just imagine Jesus as the landowner going to the
market area in His village and hiring workers for His vineyard.
For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who
went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay
the normal daily wage and sent them out to work. At nine o'clock in the morning
he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around
doing nothing. So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was
right at the end of the day. So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and
again at three o'clock he did the same thing. At five o'clock that afternoon he
was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, 'Why
haven't you been working today?' They replied, 'Because no one hired us.' The
landowner told them, 'Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.' That
evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with
the last workers first. When those hired at five o'clock were paid, each
received a full day's wage. When those hired first came to get their pay, they
assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day's wage. When
they received their pay, they protested to the owner, '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.' He answered one of them, 'Friend, I haven't been
unfair! Didn't you agree to work all day for the usual wage? Take your money
and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. Is it against the law
for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind
to others?' So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are
first will be last. Matthew
20:1-16 NLT
I love this
story of generosity. Being generous allow us to give to others because God has
give abundantly to us. Generosity is the good use of stewardship and the
attitude that everything I have came from and belongs to God, knowing that we
are the caretakers for His purpose.
Training Tip – How can you teach your children to be generous? By
being generous to them? Let them see you being generous to others. Encourage
them to share what they have with playmates and siblings. Praise them whenever
you see them sharing with others—although try to save that “praise” for a time
when just the two of you are having some sharing time so that they don’t get a
big head or embarrassed in front of their friends.
Lord God, encourage my children
and grandchildren to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves
the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of
that which is life indeed. (1 Timothy 6:18-19).
All
scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise
noted.
©
2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
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