XPost: alt.bible, alt.messianic, alt.religion.christian   
   XPost: alt.christnet.christianlife   
   From: tiller@soil.org.9   
      
   i do like the parable about the workers who sign on early in the day   
   and toil away and do what they contracted to do, and then   
   other workers sign on later in the day, and do the same   
   and then some sign on in, like, the final hours at the   
   end of the day, and the earlycomes suspect that they will be paid more   
   cuz, after all, they signed on early and have been working all day,   
   only to find out, that everybody gets paid the same wage   
   whether early or late, and the early guys grouse about it,   
   and Jesus up and says something to the effect of;   
      
   "what are you complaining about, you got what you had coming"   
      
   "like, nobody got cheated or anything..."   
      
   you could even mix that story in with the prodigal some bit,   
   and some people who DO actually seem to devote their entire life   
   to Jesus and The Way...the Truth and the Life and all that,   
      
      
   may very well find themselves at the back of the line   
   and some people who sign on late in the day,   
   may get a prominent seat at the table.   
      
   and, you expect ME to cry about it?   
      
      
   NO NO NO, i'm thankful just to come along for the ride...   
      
      
   so?   
      
      
   well, it's not like anyone gets quality points just for being around longer   
      
      
   oh dear God _help_ ME keep that "first love" faith and zeal   
      
   =beyond= the bitter end   
      
      
   cuz "seniority" is a human foible   
      
      
   anyway, just thought i'd mention it...   
      
      
   yeah, time can be a good thing and can burn away all of your sticker   
   bush thorns   
      
      
   but we still have no real laurels to rest upon.   
      
      
      
   Christ...and Christ crucified...and Christ Resurrected   
      
      
      
   and tim is opening up his present   
      
      
      
   the Gift that keeps on giving...   
      
      
   amen...   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)