This is a bit cobbled together from Rootsontheweb and some other thoughts I've been having about the credit crunch. It's short because there was a baptism at Lindsell (the child's father is an investment banker, so the lectionary was truly inspired in choosing Matthew 20, 1-16.
'It's not fair!'
Mum had had enough. All she heard every meal time was 'It's not fair!', 'He's got more than me'. She decided to change things. Mum went into the kitchen and began to put her plan into action. She prepared the food and then put it out on plates ready for everyone.
'Dinner time', Mum shouted. The children ran to the table and jumped onto their chairs. Mum picked up baby James and fastened him into his high chair. Then she passed out the plates.
First James got his food. It was just the right amount for a baby boy. Next mum gave a plate to Grace who was four. She had exactly the same amount as James. Grace looked puzzled. Mum brought out Daniel's food. Daniel was eight. He had exactly the same amount as James. 'Mum that's not enough' Daniel moaned.
Mum turned, walked back into the kitchen and brought out 14-year-old Sam's food. He had exactly the same as James. 'That's not fair', 'I've not got enough', 'I want more' everyone shouted.
Everyone except James, who began to eat.
'I need more food than James,' Sam said. 'I'll be hungry if I only eat this,' Grace grumbled.Mum looked at all the children. 'I've given you all an equal amount haven't I? Is that not fair?'
'No' said Sam, 'I'm a lot bigger than the others so I need more food.'
'You're right' Mum replied 'equal amounts isn't fair here. Do you think I know how much you need and what is fair?' Grace, Sam and Daniel looked at Mum, 'Yes' they all chorused. 'OK then' Mum said as she walked into the kitchen and returned with enough food for everyone.
This week the news has been all about the credit crunch, with banks being taken over, Mortgage firms going under and insurance companies being bailed out. A cursory glance at any Western newspaper will tell you tales of woe, and of not enough money to go around. Times are looking a little fragile. So as we baptise young Freddy today, what kind of a world, what kind of a worldview, are we bringing him in to?
What does God think about the credit crunch? It is tempting to think that he is just gloating and saying “I told you so!”, but actually I think the message of today’s reading is that envy and greed and jealously – I want what they’ve got, and so on, run counter to the free gift of undeserved grace that God offers us in Christ; we do not deserve God’s Riches, but they are ours at Christ’s expense. Like the mother in that modern day parable, God knows what we all need, so we should neither gloat because we have more than someone else, nor, it seems, feel hard done by or jealous if we feel short changed.
However, of course, this parable is not about money, it’s about God’s generosity in his grace. He gives of that freely to all, whether on the day of their baptism or the day of their death. How we receive that grace – and pass it on to those in our care, will perhaps depend on how we think of God.
So do you think God is generous, or do you think he could give you more for your trouble?
Let’s not imagine for a minute that we can blame our generous God for the financial situation our society finds itself in – or at least the papers tell us we’re in it, there may be better qualified people than me who could comment on that later! As I have said, part of the love and justice of God is that the first shall be last and the last shall be first.
God has a habit of turning our lives upside down, but that may be just to give us his point of view.
