Ingratitude

“Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ So the last will be first, and the first last.” (Matthew 20:16).

Bathsheba makes an appeal to Davod (Govert Flinck)

I have been thinking about how important gratitude is.  It is one thing to be grateful for what I have and another thing altogether to be grateful for what I have without being ungrateful that I do not have as much as other people have.

Some people have more money than I do.  And yet, I am asked to be grateful for the money that I do have.  Some people have more children, and yet I am asked to be grateful for the children that I do have.  Some people have nicer families or more friends, or better health thank I do, but God is asking me to be grateful for what He has given me without coveting my neighbour’s goods or things (Exodus 20:17)…

And it occurs to me that the truest test of a good Christian is the test of gratitude.  If I can be grateful for what I have been given then I can do this without looking over my shoulder at what my neighbour has or what my neighbour is doing…

And when I can stop myself from looking at everyone else then I have half a chance of success…

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for a denarius[a] a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place; and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing; and he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the labourers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the householder, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you, and go; I choose to give to this last as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ So the last will be first, and the first last.” (Matthew 20:1-16).

When I compare with others the joy is lost.  God is the perfect just judge.  And all I ever do is get in His way as He tries to give me every gift in the universe to ensure that I am okay…

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.