Daily
Devotional

When I was in the fifth grade, I had an opportunity to work for one of my schoolteachers. She asked what she should pay me, and I replied, “Whatever you want.” She decided to pay me fifty cents an hour to pull weeds in her flowerbeds. I liked the way that sounded, so I went to work in her yard.

On a different occasion, a gentleman asked me about working for him. Part way through our conversation, he commented that he would pay me what I was worth, but there was a minimum wage law. I felt quite good about his remark until I understood what he meant: he thought I was worth less than the going minimum wage!

We have minimum wage laws to avoid discrimination at the job site, but often arbitration or wage wars still take place regarding what is a fair salary. Probably most of us have felt at one time or another that we were not paid what we were worth, and that others were overpaid, but at the end of the day all of us have much for which to be thankful. Even if we are underpaid at work, we are grateful to be employed, not to mention the blessings we receive from God that money could never buy anyway.

Today’s focus verse comes from the time when Jesus told a parable about laborers. He said that some laborers had agreed to work in the vineyard for a certain price, but afterward complained when others who had arrived later received the same wages as themselves. The laborers were reminded that they had agreed to their wages.

Do we ever look at other Christians and think it unfair that they get “more” from God than we do? Life may not always seem fair to us, yet we know that Jesus, our Employer, is more than fair. Not only do we all get the “minimum wage” of a hope of Heaven, but we also receive many extra benefits, such as having a Guide, a Comforter, and a Healer. He has a plan and purpose for each of us, He loves us unconditionally, and He gives us much more than we deserve.

We could never hope to find anyone who would be more just than the Lord we serve.