Monday, June 30, 2008

Luke 20:9-18

Jesus tells a story about a man who owns a vineyard and rents it out to tenant farmers only to have them refuse to pay for use of the land. When servants are sent to collect they are beaten and rejected. The man then sends his only son to collect the rent. The tenants see an opportunity to take control of the land permanently and choose to kill the son. The people listening to the story thought it had a horrible ending and hoped that nothing like that would ever really happen.

Of course it is obvious that Jesus is alluding to the way Jews had received God's prophets in the past and the choice they would soon make concerning the visitation of the Son. Knowing the end of the story, I think we often look at those Jews with near disdain. How could they possibly not see what God was doing in their lives. How could they reject and kill the Son of God. It seems remarkable, but how often are we guilty of playing the role of the tenants.

When God puts people in our lives, do we pay attention. God has given opportunities to change behavior and attitudes through the advice, council, and even criticism of others. God gives us opportunities to help the hurting by bringing us into contact with the hungry, the homeless, the sick, the grieving, the fatherless, and the lost. He gives us opportunity to grow spiritually by surrounding us with giants of faith, both past and contemporary. Do we see them as an opportunity to respond to God or do we beat them up and send them on their way.

It is important to see every person we come in contact with as possibly bringing a message from God. No matter how much we dislike the message or how little we feel like it applies to us, we have to be careful to pay attention and be eager to respond so that we are not guilty, like the tenants, of ultimately rejecting the Son.

1 Comments:

At 5:18 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Until your commentary I just wasn't getting this. I like the wa you talk to the regular thinking mind. Thank you. I get it!

 

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