This morning I read the Parable of the Tenants (Matthew 21:33-46):
43“Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”[j]
The obvious interpretation of this is for the Pharisees and the other tenants being the Gentiles (according to the commentary of the bible anyway), it made me think about what about the Gentiles, nothing in it that says we who hear and are given the kingdom of God is secure that it won’t be taken away and given to other people? If it’s about bearing fruits, few verses before, Jesus mentions about the fig tree.
It made me think about what I read in the Purpose Driven Life, that this life is a test, but it’s also a entrusted life. We are entrusted with the vineyard to bear fruits so that we have something to give back to the master. Similar to the parable of the talents. Now, is fruits about how much we build for ourselves or is fruits about souls that yearns for the truth? But is it just about quantity, or is it more about the quality of the fruits?
What is our responsibility? Since after reading the above verses, I get worked up and wondering how I am not doing it enough. But what is enough? The age old question of what is our responsibility.
Few chapters before, Jesus also talked about the weary:
28“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Unrest is a big part of this world; stress, worry, anxiety, disappointment, failure stare at us every second. Often we blame the world this is what life is. Well it is, and it is not. These are never meant to be the burden from Jesus, but from the devil.
Jesus said he is the bread of life. Eat, drink and live. If we keep on munching on this snack while work, or live out the life, I doubt we’ll be a lazy worker. We don’t have to put ourselves through the grind. Does this mean we don’t have a burden?
But Jesus did mention about His burden being light. What is the burden then? The verse pops up in my mind is the ‘carry your own cross’. I believe our responsibility is to surrender, to obey, and to trust Him, and Him only. Allow the peace and joy to penetrate every part of our soul, each day.
Being at rest and running the race is a foreign concept to many, myself included. But I am beginning to experience how it feels though: one can run but have the patience and peace to see the outcome to wait for the finish line to come closer.
I can have the vision of what the outcome I desire, but be patient and at peace that the steps laid out (ever changing) will eventually take me there. My responsibility is this day, how and what I choose to do with it, via the prompting of the Spirit. This way, I will be sure to be effective and productive in His work. Unrestful spirit has no place in our heart, as it is the biggest hindrance for God’s holy power to work.
It all starts from the heart.
Are you weary or overwhelmed?
Filed under: Christianity
