Are you a business owner? Are you in a position to hire employees? Do you look for specific skills in candidates? Do you have different pay scales depending on skillset and skill level? Are employees with tenure paid more than newly hired employees? Where do you fit in?
Today’s businesses have a variety of pay scales for different skillsets and skill levels. They must pay a minimum wage as set by law. However, they can pay as much as they need above that. The rarer the skillset and the higher the skill level, the higher the pay scale.
We think in transactional terms. Work for an hour and get paid an agreed upon amount. Each job has its required set of knowledge, skills, and abilities. There are tasks that must be performed as defined in the job description. Quality control measures are implemented to ensure the products produced meet expectations and regulations.
Jesus turns our world upside down. He tells the parable of the vineyard owner who hires workers throughout the day. He doesn’t seek specific skillsets. He doesn’t ask about their experience. His only requirement is that the worker is willing to work in the vineyard. He assigns the workers to their tasks and gives them the training they need to accomplish the work.
This is how Jesus builds His church. He welcomes everyone. Each person brings specific skills, or what we call gifts of the Spirit. Each gift is used for the work assigned to the local church the person is a member of (or should be). Each person is to desire to work. The Spirit has gifted each person. God draws each person to his church and assembles the gifts for the mission he has given each local church. He continues to draw people throughout the life of the church as its specific mission changes. We simply need to be willing to put our gifts to work.
I pray we eliminate our transactional mindset within the church. I pray we know we are gifted by the Spirit. I pray each one of us are willing to work in the local church to accomplish our mission. You are gifted. You are chosen by God. Be willing to work. Participate in the church’s mission.
Matthew 20:1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.”
Marty Pressey 