Zone1 God's Justice versus His Generosity

[Meriweather]

^I meant "talents" not "tenants"

After reading it through a couple of times, I picked up on that. Auto-correct is never there when we need it, and always there when we don't.

 

[SweetSue92]

Question: When God judges you, based on the following, do you see yourself on the receiving end of God's great justice, or His generosity?

Last Sunday we read the Gospel about the vineyard workers. Early in the morning, the master of the vineyard and the early workers settled on a just wage for a day's work. Throughout the day, the master kept bringing in additional workers, ups to the final hour. At the end of the hour he paid everyone the same just wage that was settled at the beginning of the day. Those who worked all day complained and master basically told them his generosity to others was none of their business.

In today's Gospel, Jesus' tell everyone that his mother, brothers, and sisters were those who hear the word of God and act on it. Jesus elevates those who act on the word of God into his family. Scripture notes that the word of God is written on all hearts. Once again, we witness generosity.

We expect to be healthy, pain free, and provided for. But these are gifts and graces, not givens. Be content in all things.

 

[Grumblenuts]

In the Bible story, the servants

Yes, they were described as servants in any version. That's the part you can't weasel out of. The "master" left and expected a tidy profit from his own servants. His own people. Again, this is completely at odds with the Bible's treatment of usury in general.

 

[Grumblenuts]

Again, I see your point. When I got tired of storing the kids stuff, I think I would have started to mail them a monthly bill for storage. Picture them getting tired of paying for storage and coming by to pick up their stuff. After they had loaded it all up, I would have given them cash amounting to all they had paid for storage. Win-win.

If you'd had any kids you'd already know they never have enough room and are always borrowing money from you as well, which you never dare count on them to pay back. Expect them to pay interest? Lol!

 

[Meriweather]

We expect to be healthy, pain free, and provided for. But these are gifts and graces, not givens. Be content in all things.

By definition, gifts and graces are given to us. More than this, the focus is on what God IS and what God is doing. God keeps His promises. Justice. And God goes beyond His promises. Generosity.

People of faith trust in God's promises. These promises are more than generous in themselves. I believe it is not only good--but awe inspiring--to take the time to reflect on each time God's promised generosity overflows beyond what is promised into the limitless.

Then our contentment overflows into something much greater. There is an unimaginable joy--not in what we are given--but in our God. May our praise be as great.

 

[Meriweather]

If you'd had any kids you'd already know they never have enough room and are always borrowing money from you as well, which you never dare count on them to pay back. Expect them to pay interest? Lol!

I do have kids. What I give, they give back. And more. It is a given there is never any interest. They are simply grateful and add a present.

 

[Grumblenuts]

From Googling your assertion: "the servants were all provided for outside the money they had been given to invest." Bible Study Tools. com:

What did the servants represent in the parable?


Crucially, Jesus says that both the parable of the 10 virgins and the parable of the talents are about what the kingdom of heaven will be like in the last days (Matthew 25:1,14). Therefore, the master represents Christ, while the three servants represent those who serve him.Sep 28, 2022

The Parable of the Talents - Bible Verse Story and Meaning​

BibleStudyTools
https://www.biblestudytools.com › bible-stories › the-..

 

[Grumblenuts]

So study of "the Bible" reveals that it contradicts itself all over the place. Is that Ethical?

 

[Grumblenuts]

I do have kids. What I give, they give back. And more. It is a given there is never any interest. They are simply grateful and add a present.

Good for you. One of ours turned out that way. Should we "masters" toss the other "servant" out of our "kingdom" or what? My mom would insist upon me borrowing money from her and paying it back at varying rates of interest depending on her mood on any given day. I would pay her back more and tell her to quit asking me to borrow money.

 

[Grumblenuts]

By definition, gifts and graces are given to us. More than this, the focus is on what God IS and what God is doing. God keeps His promises. Justice. And God goes beyond His promises. Generosity.

People of faith trust in God's promises. These promises are more than generous in themselves. I believe it is not only good--but awe inspiring--to take the time to reflect on each time God's promised generosity overflows beyond what is promised into the limitless.

Then our contentment overflows into something much greater. There is an unimaginable joy--not in what we are given--but in our God. May our praise be as great.

Or life simply sucks and then you die. It just makes sense to do the best one can with what they've got regardless.

 

[Meriweather]

Bible Study Tools. com: the master represents Christ, while the three servants represent those who serve him

Agree. My own experience of God and His ways is that it is impossible to serve/do something for God without being showered with gifts and blessings in return.

My talents are few, but when I invest (if you will) more is given to me. When I see others invest more, more is given to them than to me. When I could have used a talent, but didn't...I am not the only servant. God looks for the servant who is investing the talent, and that servant is showered with the gifts that could have been mine.

 

[BreezeWood]

God looks for the servant who is investing the talent, and that servant is showered with the gifts that could have been mine.

all in the heavens are equal -

a free lunch is a figment of one's wishful imagination.

 

[Meriweather]

So study of "the Bible" reveals that it contradicts itself all over the place. Is that Ethical?

Context matters. Then there is reality that the Bible, while inspired by God, was written by man, and each individual has a somewhat unique perspective.

I was thinking of a Biblical contradiction when I started this thread--one that seems to have come from Jesus, himself. In his parables, he frankly tells us that those who entered the Kingdom late in life will be receiving all that is being given to those who entered the kingdom at the dawn of their lives. Yet, in another passage Jesus advises us to store up treasure in heaven where it cannot be stolen or damaged and where the reward is greater.

Mulling this over, the best I can come up with is that one of my favorite nuns once asked us: Everyone will receive their fill in heaven to overflowing. The question is whether we will be a thimble or an oak barrel.

It may well be a failing on my part, but I tend not to overly concerned about contradictions, but instead to dwell on what each passage is trying to teach.

Another possible contradiction? - Don't hide your light under a bushel basket versus don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.

 

[Grumblenuts]

Agree. My own experience

You agree that you are "the master" and that your kids are your "servants"?

 

[Grumblenuts]

Context matters. Then there is reality that the Bible, while inspired by God, was written by man, and each individual has a somewhat unique perspective.

Or, far more likely, it was all just inspired by man in the first place. Man's need to rationalize their dominance over others.

 

[Meriweather]

Good for you. One of ours turned out that way. Should we "masters" toss the other "servant" out of our "kingdom" or what? My mom would insist upon me borrowing money from her and paying it back at varying rates of interest depending on her mood on any given day. I would pay her back more and tell her to quit asking me to borrow money.

It's actually good for them isn't it. I can't take credit for what they do, but I am proud of them.

As far as tossing someone out of our kingdom: If a child is seriously and intentionally doing damage and being hateful to the kingdom and those within, that may have to be the case until/unless that child reaches the stage of the Prodigal Son. However, if the child is loving to the family, and merely has no money sense, of course s/he should not be thrown out! That would be impossible for the masters, I think.

 

[Meriweather]

You agree that you are "the master" and that your kids are your "servants"?

In that post, I was agreeing God is the Master and I am the servant. In your post about where the parents are used as an analogy for the master, and the kids analogous to the servant, I can follow that while also understanding that analogies always fail at some point.

Besides, when my kids were younger, they used the same line my siblings and I used on our own parents: "You don't want children! You want slaves!"

I grumbled, "Yes, bur I wanted good slaves." (Yes, they laughed and went off to do their chores.)

 

[Meriweather]

Or, far more likely, it was all just inspired by man in the first place. Man's need to rationalize their dominance over others.

I don't think it was all inspired by man. However, it was undoubtedly filtered by man, and in some passages it is fair to wonder whether human dominance over others was at play--not by the writer, necessarily, but by one or more the characters. One of the people I wonder most about is the prophet, Samuel.

 

[Grumblenuts]

In that post, I was agreeing God is the Master and I am the servant. In your post about where the parents are used as an analogy for the master, and the kids analogous to the servant, I can follow that while also understanding that analogies always fail at some point.

But that wasn't simply my analogy. I was directly quoting from Bible Study.com (and Wikipedia earlier). Do you think your opinion somehow carries more weight than theirs?

 

[Meriweather]

But that wasn't simply my analogy. I was directly quoting from Bible Study.com (and Wikipedia earlier). Do you think your opinion somehow carries more weight than theirs?

Both Bible Study.com and I agree that the parable is about God as Master and we as servants. Where do you see the opinions differing?