Be Grateful with the Lord. He decides what you do and don’t have.
May the Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.
Remember to be gracious. Always. Remember to thank the Lord, for everything you have, and everything you get to do. Thank him for sending out your soul into the world after Jesus came and died for your sins, because his finished work is the reason that you are not enemies of God. God sent down his son to be spit on, mocked, flogged and beaten so then whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. Jesus got in the way of YOUR punishment. Thank God for that. Because I know for sure, at least with me, if I was born before Jesus was alive, I would be at the fiery gates of hell for my cycle of sin. I have a parable I would like to share from the bible: (Matthew 20–1:16) *sorry if I retell the story slightly inaccurately*
A man went out to hire workers for the vineyard he had just bought. And at about 9 in the morning he saw workers there doing nothing. He said to them “Go, work in my vineyard, and I will pay you what is right.” So they went.
And at about noon, he did the same thing. About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’
“Because no-one has hired us,” they answered.
“Go and work in my vineyard.” the master replied.
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When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’
“The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’
“But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go.”
This parable teaches us to be grateful for what we have, and not to argue or to grumble and to be greedy for more. Do not be a servant of money, but only of God. Be gracious, you who hear me, and the Lord will see you.
Truly, I say to you, when you are being grateful, and giving to the homeless, or the sick, or the lame, do not be like the Pharisees, who pray in public, and want to be seen by others. Matthew 6:6 says “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Give to them, in quiet, in secret, where no one can see you. I’m not talking literally — do not try to make it so that no one can see you. If others see you, good. Let them be aware of your graciousness. But do not make it a public spectacle. For when you pray, fast or give, do it quietly, where only your Father in Heaven can see you. Then, and only then, will you be rewarded.
Remember to be gracious with what you have, my brothers and sisters. If you are reading this, you probably have more than most people in impoverished areas do. On the one extreme, do not be envious, and on the other extreme, do not give absolutely everything that you have so then you sleep on the street, or have nothing in your home. Take what the Lord God has given you, and be grateful with it.
May the Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.
