unemployed

In Jesus' parable of the Workers in the Vineyard, the landowner is hiring workers early in the morning and throughout the day.  At 5PM he finds some workers standing around and asks them, "Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?"  Their response?  "Because no one has hired us".  The parable goes on to deal with the issue of just compensation for early and late workers.  I'm stuck on thinking about those who were standing on their shovels because no one asked them to work.

In church matters, it does seem as if the 20/80 rule is in effect.  20% of the participants do 80% of the church work, leading to the same kind of complaints from those 20 as those hired early in the parable: too much work, not enough compensation.

But perhaps we should be praying that everyone will hear God's invitation not only to enter into the Kingdom, but also to take part in its glorious work.  As we pray for those who are sick or spiritually disabled, we can pray that they would get really well, evidenced in getting engaged in Kingdom ministry.  And we can pray that we in the church will offer the invitation to join us in Kingdom work (and not just church busy-ness).  As the parable indicates, it's never too late for any of us to pick up the proverbial shovel and join Jesus' work crew, and it's never too early for those on the crew to say to the idle, "come join us!"