“And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius.” – Matthew 20:9

This verse is the turning point in a parable that vividly illustrates God’s gracious nature. Jesus tells this story about workers hired throughout a long day of work. The workers are then paid in reverse, beginning with those who’d only worked for one hour. To everyone’s surprise, they receive a full day’s pay. Likewise those who worked a few hours longer. And those who worked longer still. And those who worked the full day.

This story can rub us the wrong way, as it did His original audience, because it doesn’t feel fair. Too bad! This isn’t about “fair” because fair was paying those who worked all day a day’s pay. The owner was fair and kept his word. What’s highlighted is that the owner is tremendously generous, kind, and graciously gives most people far more than they deserve. That’s God!!!

This parable illustrates how God deals with us when it comes to salvation. Those who come to know Jesus late in life are just as saved as those who met Jesus as kids. This is a wonderful and glorious thing! Why? Because everyone who is saved through faith in Jesus is an entirely new creation, adopted and beloved by God. Everyone saved by faith gets to join the heavenly multitude praising and worshiping God. Everyone saved by faith enjoys complete and full satisfaction and joy in heaven forever.

This is truly good news because nobody deserves to be saved. Nobody gets saved because they’ve earned it. We aren’t made new creations in Christ because we got good grades, worked extra hard for Him, or will do great things in the future. We’re made new because God is loving, kind, and gracious toward us, crediting us with the righteousness of His Son through faith in Him. Every Christian is a beneficiary of God’s grace – we’re given infinitely more and better than we deserve. As such, we should always applaud when God displays His extravagant grace by saving those who seem hopelessly set in their ways.

“But Paul said, ‘I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words.’” – Acts 26:25

There’s a good chance that if you take your faith seriously and follow Jesus with devotion and sacrificial dedication, someone will eventually question your sanity! When taking up your cross to follow Jesus (as He commands) leads you to give money away generously for the Kingdom, change careers for Jesus, or tell everyone you know the real meaning of Christmas people may begin to doubt your mental state. Well-meaning Christians who haven’t yet taken up their cross can often be among those, so don’t be surprised.

Feel free to regularly remind yourself that your faith is true. Jesus demonstrated that through His well-attested death and physical resurrection. By His miracles. By the nature of His teaching. He continues to prove it that through the small miracles most believers can testify about. By the answers to prayers. By the awareness of Christ’s ongoing presence. The transformation that’s happened to you by the Holy Spirit.

Since your faith is true, there are very rational implications which should radically alter your behavior. Such changes are perfectly rational! Since Jesus is, “The Way, the Truth, and the Life” then of course you should be desperate to make sure everyone on earth, including those you care about most, hear about the certain hope you have in Jesus. Since Jesus did command us to make disciples of all nations, it’s only rational that some will feel God’s call to change careers to more fully devote their gifts, talents, and energies to making disciples. Since Jesus told us to store up treasure in heaven rather than on earth, it’s quite rational to give generously, joyously, and sacrificially to the Kingdom work being done in our community and to the ends of the earth.

People may question your sanity as you follow Jesus. Don’t be discouraged. Recognize that such questioning is an opportunity to share your true and rational faith even with those professing to be Christians!

“I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
from the great congregation.”
– Psalm 40:10

The Christmas season is one of the times we’re most visibly reminded of God’s deliverance, salvation, faithfulness, and steadfast love. After all, God sent His eternal Son into our world as a baby, born of a virgin, and laid to rest in a manger in Bethlehem so that we could experience these blessings.

If you’ve put your faith in Jesus, that baby, long since grown, crucified, raised from the dead, and ruling from heaven, then you’ve received these extraordinary blessings from God. You’ve been delivered from the penalty for your sins and set free from the permanence of death. You’ve received God’s salvation and experienced His steadfast love and faithfulness through Christ.

Are you, like the psalmist, telling people about that? Are you hiding these blessings in your heart or are your naturally speaking of them as you meet people or wind up in deep discussions about life? Is Christ’s love and faithfulness a secret you’re keeping to yourself or a blessing and invitation you’re freely sharing with others who need hope and salvation this season?

Followers of Jesus should be talking about Him, not just with fellow believers (for encouragement and exhortation) but with those who don’t yet believe. They need these blessings too, so please don’t keep them from hearing about experiencing them through faith in Jesus!

“I said, ‘I will guard my ways,
that I may not sin with my tongue;
I will guard my mouth with a muzzle,
so long as the wicked are in my presence.’”
– Psalm 39:1

Have you made this commitment? It doesn’t seem that many have in our culture that celebrates “owning” our opponents, “mike drop” moments, going viral, and getting the last word. As followers of Jesus, we must carefully weigh whether our brilliant words to “win” a conflict or debate actually bring glory to God or if we’re just sinning with our tongues.

It’s not OK to “win” through sin! Every follower of Jesus must recognize that sinning with our tongue is not only possible, it’s really, really easy. Jesus said the wisest, strongest, most astonishing words without ever sinning. We aren’t Jesus, so we must be very thoughtful about our words BEFORE we say them to make sure He’ll be pleased with them.

Sinful words in defense of Jesus don’t defend Jesus. They make Him look false, petty, and just like everyone else. Sinful words in favor of God aren’t favored by God. Silence is better than sinful sound. Learn to tell the difference between strong words with and without sin. Learn how to present your position well, accurately, passionately, and without sinning.

You’re mistaken if you think you have to sin to win or if you’re excusing hurtful, ugly, cruel, obscene, profane, demeaning, or false words by claiming they’re for a good purpose. Regardless of their purpose, sin is sin and a muzzle is preferable to an open mouth!

“Now the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush, so he went and entered the barracks and told Paul.” – Acts 23:16

God had plans for Paul and no team of committed killers could stop those plans! While it would one day be God’s will for Paul to die for his faith, that day was a long way off. In the meantime, God planned for Paul to preach the Gospel to governors and kings, soldiers and sailors, guards and high government officials. That meant that Paul was completely safe even when everyone would have imagined him to be in great danger.

When a group committed themselves to fasting until they killed Paul, God made sure Paul’s nephew heard about their conspiracy and told Paul who then sent his nephew to the Roman officer in charge. This had the good effect of moving Paul out of Jerusalem and forward in his long journey to Rome, courtesy of the Roman army. God always makes a way to accomplish His will!

May this be an encouragement to you when you face a difficult or daunting task for the Lord. If He’s calling you to do it, He’ll make a way that will glorify Him! It may be uncomfortable, but His will will be done. Trust that God’s will is good and that He’s all-powerful. Do not fear – either it will be your time to go home or it isn’t and God will ensure that. Pray that God will defeat or bypass any opposition that could truly hinder your mission, while using all other opposition as a platform to proclaim Jesus.