Daily Worship

The Difference Between Work and Service

Albert Bogle March 20, 2014 0 0

Matthew 20: 1-16

 “God’s kingdom is like an estate manager who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. They agreed on a wage of a dollar a day, and went to work. “Later, about nine o’clock, the manager saw some other men hanging around the town square unemployed. He told them to go to work in his vineyard and he would pay them a fair wage. They went.“He did the same thing at noon, and again at three o’clock. At five o’clock he went back and found still others standing around. He said, ‘Why are you standing around all day doing nothing?’“They said, ‘Because no one hired us.’“He told them to go to work in his vineyard.“When the day’s work was over, the owner of the vineyard instructed his foreman, ‘Call the workers in and pay them their wages. Start with the last hired and go on to the first.’“Those hired at five o’clock came up and were each given a dollar. When those who were hired first saw that, they assumed they would get far more. But they got the same, each of them one dollar. Taking the dollar, they groused angrily to the manager, ‘These last workers put in only one easy hour, and you just made them equal to us, who slaved all day under a scorching sun.’“He replied to the one speaking for the rest, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair. We agreed on the wage of a dollar, didn’t we? So take it and go. I decided to give to the one who came last the same as you. Can’t I do what I want with my own money? Are you going to get stingy because I am generous?’

Lord,
I’ve been thinking about pay increases.
I was wondering  if you took a view on wages?
Then I remembered your parable. 
You know the one about everyone getting paid the same.
It wasn’t exactly popular with all the workers
However your logic as always was was impeccable
Everyone has the same basic needs so,
pay the unemployed man the same, 
even if he  has only worked for an hour

Lord,
I know there is more to your thinking than meets the eye 
Especially when reading the lines above,
But your bottom line was justice and equality for all
You’ve got me  thinking again
What is the difference between work and service?
To truly serve someone
Is to do it out of the kindness of heart
You don’t serve to be rewarded
You serve in order to support the other
Okay 
So If  I work I get my wages
If I work and serve
The service part is given freely 
So when I give to those in need it is service
No reward should be expected
Lord help me remember this conversation.

 

Albert Bogle, St Andrew's Church, Bo'ness