Pay

 

When I first began teaching, I worked for Dick M. in the summer.  He was a framing contractor and had a five-man crew that put up a house in three days (framing only).  I was the new man, so I made door and window jacks, corners and headers.  Simple, boring, but necessary.  Gary was the lead carpenter.  Gary would lay out a wall for the others to frame up, then go to the next wall while the other men were filling in the studs, doors, and windows.  Dick and Tom would carry OSB, 2X4’s and ceiling rafters from the piles to where they were needed.  Each man had a different job with a different skillset and, as you would expect, a different salary.  Dick M. was easygoing.  He would tolerate a lot from us, but if anyone would try to find out how much someone else was making, Dick would fire them on the spot.  Just one of his rules.  Dick said that the money that you were paid was between the boss and the employee and no one else.  Jesus told a parable of a vineyard owner who had similar views.  When some of his workers complained of how much they got paid, (Matthew 20:13-15) “But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?”  Hey, Dick paid us what he wanted to.  It was his money.  The vineyard owner paid his workers what he wanted to.  It was his money.  And God dispenses as He will to His followers.  It’s God’s business what He does with His followers.  Hey, serve God as best as you can and don’t worry about the other guy.  Just do your best for the Lord and don’t complain about anyone else.  Someday, when you meet Jesus Christ face to face, you’ll be glad that you did.