It aint yours
- Gary Fritsch
- Mar 20
- 2 min read
It just isn't. In the end, no matter how much you argue that you earned it, bought it, paid for it, sweated for it or inherited it. It aint yours. What am I talking about? Everything.
If we think we earned it with our talent, where did we get that? If we think it is our work ethic, where did we get that. Our athletic ability, our good looks, our stellar education (anchored by our ability to learn). Our station in life, the chance to go to a good school, being born in a first world country. All of this is gift.
Now, we do have an opportunity to participate in the gift, to cooperate with the grace. But this does not make the vineyard ours. This is the point of Jesus' story today. Did the workers in the vineyard make the vineyard successful? Seems like it. But the work by itself would have meant nothing without the gift of the vineyard. As the Old Testament story of Job informs us very clearly - it can all go away in an instant.
The Jewish people have the tradition of the berekah, or the blessing. It goes like this: in the morning: Blessed are you Lord our God, king of the universe. It is through your goodness that we have this day before us. Before a meal: Blessed are you Lord our God, king of the universe. It is through your goodness that we have this meal to nourish our bodies. Before bed: Blessed are you Lord our God, who brings sleep to our eyes. You get the idea, throughout the day, they express how blessed God is and how He blesses them by being the source of all good things.
This process of berekah throughout the day changes your perspective on God's role and your role in all of things of life that we enjoy and puts that into an appropriate ordering. If you think back to the 'raw materials' of everything that you have, seeing God's hand becomes easier and easier.
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