Aren't we all kind of like that? I know I want to get paid more when I work harder, regardless of the deal struck at the beginning. It Isn't Fair is my inner mantra. We are all about merit, and forget that salvation, grace, love, are all pure gift.
In our limited view, we completely ignore the gift of being chosen early.
Think about it. Day laborer, you don't even know if you will get hired at all. You worry about feeding your kids, keeping the roof over your heads. Then bang, you get chosen for a job first thing!
How you rejoiced! Fair pay negotiated, you get to work, planning what to do with that day's wages. You spend the day thinking how you will feed your kids, and maybe even buy a new skirt for your daughter who has been oh so patient with her old one.
You are happy when the next wave of laborers arrive - more hands make work light. It is hot, sweaty work, but there you are, earning a living, the wolves pushed back from the door one more day.
Then, your employer calls it a day and starts handing out wages. You notice he is giving what he promised you to the folks who showed up last. You assume you will be given even more because you were there ALL DAY.
Except, what he places in your hands is exactly what he promised you first thing in the morning. And you are mad because you MERITED more pay, at least in your own eyes.
You have completely forgotten about the joy you carried with you from that moment you were chosen all day long... The joy of security, of being able to make plans, to let go of the fear.
You forgot about that gift of peace, which the folks who showed up at the end of the day did not experience. They sat on that corner, eaten up by fear that there will be no food or shelter because there was no work. They weren't among the chosen until the end.
Just something to think about.
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