Forgetting About Fairness

Read: Matthew 20

"Is it no lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous? So the last shall be first, and the first last." Matthew 20:15-16

Examine:

The landowner speaking in this verse is simply an allegory about God's view of man's definition of fairness. He is the owner of all that the earth contains and is free to do with it as He pleases.

Apply:

Fairness is not a Biblical value; doing right by what has been given to me is. If I live my life by trying to judge fairness then envy will consume me, anger will corrupt me, and injustices will confuse me.

Pray:

You are God and I am not. I ask that You forgive me of my arrogance. I make a big enough mess out of my own life on most days; who am I to think I have what it takes to manage the universe?

You have been more than gracious to me. I do not care what others have and I really do not care about my perceived shortcomings. The thing my heart longs for is to hear You say well done. Unfortunately, I have equated material blessing and peaceful circumstances as being the primary vehicles through which You affirm me. When I feel like I am lacking I automatically feel like You have rejected me. This grid I use to discern Your level of joy with my life is broken and I surrender it to You.

My life verse is Matthew 20:28. My life is not mine to keep. It is Yours to give away. That is the ultimate measure of Your joy. When You are pleased with what I have done with what You have given You position me to give freely of myself to others. Strengthen me today so that I may stay engaged with what You have called me to do and allow me to be all that those You have given to me need me to be.