August 26

“Is this not asking too much of us?  When our own load is heavy with new sorrow or trouble, can God expect us to ‘bear. . . one another’s burdens’ (Galatians 6:5) and also bear our own too?  Wouldn’t it be only fair for us to expect someone else to bear ours as we are expected to bear theirs?”  Eugenia Price, S.P.S., 8/26

This demanding of our “rights” begins when we are children. We’ll wail, “It isn’t fair!” when our siblings or friends get to do something and we don’t.  In an attempt to avoid argument or to assuage guilty feelings our parents will cave in.  Then later in life we will declare it isn’t fair that someone doing the same job is getting paid more.  It doesn’t matter to us that they have more experience or may even be a better worker.  In our marriages it isn’t “fair” when one person does more than their “share” of the work.  And on it goes.  Yet, when it comes to God’s salvation, as Eugenia later pointed out, we totally overlook the unfairness of sinless Jesus’ suffering and dying for our sins, and accept it as though it's our right.  No wonder so many of us never go on to righteousness.  We are still in the business of making sure we are getting what we think is due us.  We close our eyes to the needs around us because we are so intent on getting our own needs met.  Freedom in Christ is to give up this burden of demanding our rights and all that goes with that.  Instead, we are to be carefree in the Lord!  And in doing so not only will our eyes be opened but our hearts.

“Take what belongs to you, and go; I choose to give to this last as I give to you.  Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me?  Or do you begrudge my generosity?”  Matthew 20:14, 15