Bible Reading : Matthew 20:1-16
Verse of Reflection : Matthew 20:4
“You also go into the vineyard, and what I should give you.”
Christian ministry was never intended as a way to make a living, but as a response to obedience to God's grace. The parable of the workers in the vineyard asserts that the owner of the field called the people to work, while the matter of wages was entirely in His hands. The main focus of workers is work loyalty, not profit calculation. This principle reminds that service is born from a call, not from economic calculations. The right heart will see service as an honour, not as a profession to fulfil the needs of life.
Service is also closely related to the way someone sees the future. The awareness that the end is near helps believers organise their lives wisely, work earnestly in daily responsibilities, and serve with joy before God. Livelihood is obtained through honest and diligent work, while service is practised as a form of gratitude. When this role is not exchanged, the heart becomes calm and the direction of life becomes clear. Happiness arises because life feels useful and in harmony with God's will.
In addition to arranging the future, service helps someone make peace with the past. Peter served not because he was perfect, but because he had been forgiven. Service becomes a space for growth, a place where humans have long been abandoned and purity is pursued with humility. God's servant is not the one who feels the most worthy, but the one who wants to be moulded. In this process, service is not used as a tool to cover the lack of life, but a means of recovery that strengthens hope.
Service demands sincerity and steadfastness. Serving in the midst of differences and pressure requires a heart that strives to do the right thing, not to seek profit. When someone has been involved in service, life is lived more responsibly and not recklessly. The example of Christ and the apostles reminds us that today's faithfulness is a real testimony of faith, without hidden motives.
✨Do not be idle in God's vineyard -Pdt. Yohannes Nahuway- ✨
-GN