Читать книгу Beyond the Horizon - Harry A. Renfree - Страница 83

March 17

A story is told of a gentleman who had the letters B A I K embroidered on his shirt. Someone who noticed the letters asked what they meant. “Simple,” was the reply. “Boy Am I Confused.”

“But confused is not spelled with a K,” retorted the enquirer.

“That shows you how confused I am,” replied the gentleman.

Confusion is apparent in the parable of the landowner with a large vineyard ready to harvest. Early in the morning, the vineyard owner went to the town market and was able to find a group of men ready to work. He offered them a denarius a day, so they went to work. But more workers were needed, so at nine o’clock the owner went to the market and hired more. He didn’t say what he would pay this time but promised fair compensation. Then he went out again at noon, three o’clock, and for the last time at five o’clock, following the same procedure.

At the end of the day at six o’clock, all the men came to pick up their pay—and that’s when confusion set in. The employer first paid a denarius to each of the group that had worked the shortest time. When all groups were paid a denarius, there was much grumbling and confusion, especially from those who had worked the longest. “Not fair,” they said.

“Did not I promise you one denarius and you agreed? Do not I have the right to be generous with my own money?” the owner replied.

A parable is a story with a moral or lesson; and the moral of the story is about God’s grace. God does not owe anyone anything, and that which He gives any one of us is given through His grace. Grace is unmerited favor. That which He gives is eternal life, and it doesn’t depend on how many years we serve. Grace was exactly what was promised to the penitent thief on the cross beside Jesus, and he had no hours left to work.

Many good folks are confused in believing that they can work for their own salvation. May we be ever so thankful for God’s marvelous Grace—His free gift.