140124 Is it Fair?

Wage and price controls cause shortages. It is a simple and basic economic principle. High prices deter purchase, and high wages deter jobs. Low prices encourage purchase, and low wages increase jobs. We have been so blinded by politicians, that this has become controversial. Raising prices in a shortage is called 'gouging' and made illegal. Paying for actual value of work done is a union violation, and thus illegal. This parable seems heartlessly contrary to modern thought.


Matthew 20:1-16 

"For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
"And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
"And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
"And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
"Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
"And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
"They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
"So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
"And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
"But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
"And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
"Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
"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?
"So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen"

Where do we get our notion of 'fairness'? Why do things have to be 'fair'? This parable clearly demonstrates an "unfair" situation! This is God's Word! Is God unfair? God's alleged unfairness whips up the atheists. God will not conform to man's will, to human ideas of what is fair and what must be unfair. The fact is that if God were fair, we would not exist. God set down one very simple rule that was broken. Why did He allow Adam and Eve to continue living after they sinned?

God is love, so Adam and Eve were fruitful, and multiplied until their descendents reached a point at which they needed more rules and guidelines. Some of those precepts required death for certain infractions. There were a few of them. Today, Man has decided that a wide variety of those infractions should be called 'lifestyle choices'.

Romans 1:21  "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened."

Collectively, humans have decided that God cannot be serious about justice and judgement and what is best for happy, healthy lives. Why did they do this? The book of Job and later, Jesus Christ exposed the one who hides: the devil, the god of this world, the lord of the flies, Satan, and every pagan impersonator who steals from man and God.

2 Corinthians 4:4  
"In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

Turn away from the world with its greed and lust for power. God supplies all our need. In the Bible, 'need' is singular, because He handles them one by one. If God sees to our need, does it really matter how much someone else has? We look on the things of others, not because they might have more than we do, but to help them have enough.