No, this is not about matching a boy and a girl.
It’s not about waving a wand to give them their happily-ever-afters and later realizing you’ve whipped up a melodrama instead of a fairy tale. It’s not about feeling like banging your head on the nearest wall because you’ve made the horrible mistake of introducing them to each other. It’s not about wishing you had a time machine so you can go back and ignore the urge to find a friend her match. Although I have been feeling like that recently – it’s not about that (wink to you-know-who-you-are).
I remember Rollie, my brother in the community, who is a really funny guy. We thought he was kidding when he said all the couples who asked him to pray over them have separated. But he claims this is true, so we jokingly told him to cease and desist from the couple pray over altogether. It’s not about that either – trying to patch things up and then have things go horribly wrong.
This is about my obsessive compulsion to match things. You know the way slippers and earrings have a perfect pair. Or giving exactly the same amount to each person involved. I used to count the pieces of grapes or anything of the like that I give to my children just to make sure each gets his fair share. I guess that’s what it all boils down to – a fair share.
In this case, it’s more of giving one his due. I feel that when one has rendered the same service as another, they should be given the same reward and privilege. This is why I’ve always had trouble with the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard in Matthew 20. I felt the first workers should have been given more. That was until I heard an explanation that God’s love and mercy cannot be measured by human standards.
You might think this rant comes from my receiving the short end of the stick. On the contrary, I am tortured because I have been receiving blessings while there are those who are not getting the same. Simple as the blessing may be, I’m not comfortable with it because I get blessed periodically.
I am still in the process of discerning what I’m to do with the situation. Do I refuse the blessing until everyone gets a fair share or do I just accept God’s reward for services I rendered? Should I just accept His generosity without question and not do my bit to right the situation? My pleas have so far fallen on deaf ears.
Maybe I am called to trust in His justice, mercy and equal love for all – that He will make things right for everyone in His time.
'Listen, friend,' the owner answered one of them. 'I have not cheated you. After all, you agreed to do a day's work for one silver coin. Now take your pay and go home. I want to give this man who was hired last as much as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do as I wish with my own money? Or are you jealous because I am generous?'" – Matthew 20:13-15
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