Labor Day
We all place value on our labor for the kingdom, but Jesus has a way of
putting things in their proper perspective lest we become boastful. “I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have
done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.” (John 4:38 NIV)
1 comment:
Gail;
-----I find it interesting that Jesus made this statement while the people of the Samaritan woman’s city were coming out to see Him. Does that make the Samaritan woman the laborer into whose labor Jesus meant the disciples would enter, metaphorically speaking? And when the disciples lifted up their eyes unto the harvest, as Jesus proposed, would they have been physically seeing this crowd of curious folks coming towards Jesus from her city?
-----So, what does it all make of labor for the kingdom? I don’t think the Samaritan woman went and told the city her experience so they would all go to her church. I doubt if she went and told them so that Jesus’ movement would gain more attention. These are consequences, for sure, but that does not make them objectives. She was greatly impressed that Jesus was the Messiah. She could have sat tight by Him to absorb everything from Him she could, then return quietly to her home and enjoy the effects the experience would have upon the rest of her life. Such would rather indicate her true objective was her self. But she didn’t. Meeting the Messiah was so extraordinary that her mind was consumed with everyone she knew also meeting Him for what they needed. Her true objective was pure and simple: bring others to Who helps.
-----There is some essence about His kingdom, something having true ring, something of regard for others and their situations and the genuine propriety thereof. There is something of a compulsion to further that propriety in as much as is possible, and no more than is possible. So whether by simple gesture or debate or sermon or lifetime of illustrative living, the labor for the kingdom is done in whatever one can do to evoke another’s movement toward or deeper into its own experience of real participation in Jesus Christ for its need. There is something “kingdomy” about simply desiring the other soul to have joy and peace and righteousness in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17.) Every action produced by that desire becomes labor for the kingdom.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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