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"Our Useless Need To Compare” Sermon Delivered By Rev. Dick Stetler – September 21, 2014 Centenary United
Exodus 16:2-15; Matthew 20:1-16 This morning we
are going to explore an intriguing parable that Jesus used to illustrate
a lesson he was teaching.
This particular parable captures our attention immediately because a
vineyard owner decided to pay all his hired laborers the same wage even
though some of them had worked eight hours and others just one hour.
There are times
during our life-experience where we compare ourselves with others. This
experience was one of those times for these laborers. When we begin
making comparisons, we can either develop a false sense of superiority
or we can feel slighted or
short-changed like the laborers in Jesus’ illustration.
What point was Jesus
making with this example?
Jesus was teaching people to be grateful for what they have, and
to find joy in doing their best work while performing their tasks. In
addition, Jesus was teaching what frequently happens to people when they
begin comparing themselves with others. The generosity of the vineyard
owner to give everyone the same wage regardless of how many hours they
worked could easily leave some of his laborers feeling undervalued.
Listen carefully to the vineyard owner’s answer to the laborers who
questioned his pay-scale: I have not
cheated any of you. I paid
you exactly what we agreed upon when I hired you. I want to give the men
I hired at the end of the day the same wage that I gave you.
I believe I have the right to spend my money the way I wish.
Are you jealous of these other men because you have compared your
wages with theirs? There is
nothing wrong here from my point of view because I feel generous today.
(Matthew 20:13f) A friend of mine
told me of an incident that happened to him some years ago that
illustrates what Jesus was teaching.
The Uptown Theater in My friend said, The line stretched
as far as eyes could see and then turned a corner.
I was within 25 feet of the window when the box office opened for
business. My long wait
was almost over when 15 people came to the front of the line, gave money
and a handsome tip to some guy who was ahead of me.
I couldn’t believe it!
The guy accepted the
bribe and bought tickets for the group.
Those of us that had invested hours of our lives waiting in line
all night got the same early tickets as those who had just parked their
car. He said that he
smoldered with resentment for
days after that happened. He wrote the management of the theater as did
other people. The complaints
were so numerous about this practice that the theater eventually changed
its policy on multi-ticket sales to one person. This was Jesus’
point exactly. Think about
this. My friend got his
tickets exactly as he had planned, but his angry response to the people
who broke in line caused him to lose the excitement of why he had spent
the night. The chances are good that my friend allowed this
injustice to affect him
emotionally to the point where I doubt he enjoyed the movie.
How quickly do we
surrender our peace? How
quickly do we point fingers at others for causing us to lose our peace?
How quickly do we forget that fairness and justice in life are not
exactly consistent experiences we have while living in this world?
Our peace, however, is
something over which we have complete control whether we believe so or
not. If we think that life
has to be fair and just, we need to think again! Some of us really enjoy watching tennis star, Roger Federer play. His net worth is 180 million dollars and this year thus far, he has received 52 million dollars from his numerous endorsements of various products. Who can imagine why anyone is worth that kind of money because of a skill he or she has with a tennis racket? There is no glass ceiling for women either. Serena Williams has a net work of 120 million. This wealth is due to being successful at playing a game. Business executives
frequently receive what industry calls a golden parachute. The severance package when they leave the
company can easily reach a height of 150 million dollars. What a
thank-you gift! Is this insane
or what? Think about David
Cameron, the Prime Minister of the Our worth has
nothing to do with our financial rewards.
We know that Jesus was not
talking about a pay-scale in his illustration; he was talking about the
way God responds to each of us.
God loves each of us equally by giving us a gorgeous world, by
giving us the potential to reach for the stars if we desire to do so and
by giving us the ability to create through a loving spirit and an active
imagination. Jesus began his
illustration with these words, “The Kingdom of heaven is like this:”
Until we understand that Jesus was inviting his listeners to live in the
world of spirit, we will to continue to cry “foul” when we compare
ourselves with the income or accomplishments of others.
In truth, our sense of
being handed some unjust reward is a useless judgment.
What we think about it, will not change the experience.
What was important
to all of the laborers in Jesus’ illustration is that a vineyard owner
had given them a job. When Jesus’
listeners celebrate the opportunity of being able to work and not the
wage they earn, they will graduate from defining their value by what
they receive. Years ago, the
Creator of the Peanuts Comic Strip, developed a quiz for people.
Even though this was a quiz for Americans, all of us will get the
point. 1. Name the five
wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name at least five
Heisman trophy winners. 3.
Name the last year’s winner of the Miss America Contest.
4. Name three people
who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prizes.
5. Name the Academy
Award winners for the best actor and actress for the last three years.
6. Name the World
Series winners for the last three years. Charles Shultz was
making the point that most of the high-profile people are known to us
because of what they have accomplished. However,
our memory of them, their importance to us and their accomplishments
disappear in our minds almost over night.
The people that we do remember gave themselves to us in
some capacity as we were making our way in life. Schultz added five
additional questions to his quiz:
1. List the names of three teachers who have inspired you on your
life’s journey. 2.
Name three people who have supported you during difficult
circumstances. 3.
Can you remember the names of three people who have taught you
some valuable lessons for making success an every day experience?
4. Think of three
people who have made you feel appreciated and loved.
5. Think of eight
people with whom you would enjoy spending time. Again, Schultz’s
commentary suggests that the people who have made the most difference in
our lives are not those with the best credentials, the most wealth or
the most remarkable accomplishments.
Rather, they are the ones who made us feel cared for and valued.
Jesus was
teaching his listeners to bring this same energy to their work ethic and
not be concerned with what other people are paid.
Every task we perform is our gift to the world.
Tasks done in love and compassion are beyond having a value
placed on them. When we attempt to
estimate our value, we will always fall short of our actual worth.
We are all one-of-a-kind.
No one has ever existed in the history of the world like you. Nor
will anyone like you appear in the future.
We each have our own treasure to share with others.
Jesus has value to us not because of who he was but because of
what he gave away. It is a useless exercise to compare ourselves to
others. We are God’s sons
and daughters. This
identity is what we will take with us when we graduate from this life.
Nothing in this world can ever
take that identity away from us.
(Romans 8:38) When we grow beyond the need to make judgments about
ourselves or to compare our lives with that of others, we will have
found the pearl of great price.
Jesus ended our lesson with these words, “Those who are last in this
world will be first in the Kingdom and those who need to be first in
this life will be last in the Kingdom.”
(Matthew 20:16) All of us have the privilege of allowing God’s spirit
to work through us. Let us
make that happen even when we receive no reward for doing so.
This is how God is and this is who we have the potential to be
when we choose to live in God’s Kingdom now |