Over the last few weeks I’ve been pondering,meditating, praying and spending time with God trying to understand how to bring a message around the word Equality. My heart is to do this without bringing an offence, disruption or a hurt to any people, race, gender group or nationality.
Equality has become a very common buzz word in our society today. Everywhere you go, paper you read, and news report seems to touch on it.
But how does the Lord see it?
Today I would like to talk about it and I would ask before you start throwing stones at me, to at least finish reading these articles. What is your definition of Equality? Stop for a moment and ask the Lord this question and sit with it.
The dictionary defines Equality as: the state of being equal, especially in status, rights, or opportunities.
As with many things in the World today Originality has left the building, what I mean is God creates something beautiful, with meaning, purpose and plan. But the enemy tries to mess it up! Sound familiar? It is it’s what happened in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2-3) And also what I believe has happened in our society today, with the word equality.
If you look through the bible you will see that THE LORD IS TOTALLY INTO EQUALITY, meaning He intended to have it! In fact over 25 verses in the bible prove this! But there is also a few that try and keep us balanced in our perspective as we journey through life with this word equality and try to live it out.
Three of these stories that show Equality differently are, The Vineyard Owner, The Talents, and The book of Acts,here it clearly says no one was in need of anything! Wow, that says it all, everyone was WELL CATERED and PROVIDED for, there was no lack, no need, only equality.
Right now that we have the portions of scripture, how do they show that although the Lord’s heart lends towards equality for all. He may have different thoughts to us about what it’s true meaning is.
Join me as we read and explore these verses, starting with The Vineyard Owner.
Matthew 20:1-15 (TPT)
A Parable of Workers in the Vineyard
“This will help you understand the way heaven’s kingdom operates: “There once was a wealthy landowner who went out at daybreak to hire all the laborers he could find to work in his vineyard. After agreeing to pay them the standard day’s wage, he put them to work. Then at nine o’clock, as he was passing through the town square, he found others standing around without work. He told them, ‘Come and work for me in my vineyard and I’ll pay you a fair wage.’ So off they went to join the others. He did the same thing at noon and again at three o’clock, making the same arrangement as he did with the others.
“Hoping to finish his harvest that day, he went to the town square again at five o’clock and found more who were idle. So he said to them, ‘Why have you been here all day without work?’ “‘Because no one hired us,’ they answered.
“So he said to them, ‘Then go and join my crew and work in my vineyard.’
“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard went to his foreman and said, ‘Call in all the laborers, line them up, and pay them the same wages, starting with the most recent ones I hired and finishing with the ones who worked all day.’
“When those hired late in the day came to be paid, they were given a full day’s wage. And when those who had been hired first came to be paid, they were convinced that they would receive more. But everyone was paid the standard wage. When they realized what had happened, they were offended and complained to the landowner, saying, ‘You’re treating us unfairly! They’ve only worked for one hour while we’ve slaved and sweated all day under the scorching sun. You’ve made them equal to us!’
“The landowner replied, ‘Friends, I’m not being unfair—I’m doing exactly what I said. Didn’t you agree to work for the standard wage? If I want to give those who only worked for an hour equal pay, what does that matter to you? Don’t I have the right to do what I want with what is mine? Why should my generosity make you jealous of them?’
Here we see that Jesus tells of a vine farmer paying each person that works for him the same amount regardless of the hours they work, and the commitment they put in! Hmm does that sound like equality to you? Sit and be with the Lord maybe ask Him the question would I be happy to be one of his worker’s? and truly which one would I like to be and why? God what is Your view point of equality here?
Did you know Equality to Him is only truly found in a place of LOVE, JUSTICE & MERCY? This is a place with FREE WILL.
In the next two parts, I will explain how all these 4 crucial and essential things (LOVE, JUSTICE, MERCY and FREE WILL) work together to bring equality from His Perspective ‘
Maybe ask the Father for a picture of what these 4 words look like for you?
Father, thank you for Your wisdom and revelation around the word Equality. We ask would You broaden our mind and heart to capture Your heart and be a witness of it to the world around us. In Jesus name. Amen
Craig and Winnie Patten
Itinerate Pastor/Apostolic Leaders
Encounter Ministries
