God is wonderfully kind

Last week the BBC reluctantly revealed the salaries received by its presenters, actors, pundits and contributors who earn more than £150,000 a year. The general response was that the salaries were high, with many whose roles appear to be straightforward receiving higher salaries than the Prime Minister. People struggling to pay their mandatory licence fee out of the benefits they receive to support them and their families must have seen the salaries as very generous indeed.

The biggest debate, however, has been the obvious inequality between the salaries paid to men and women who fulfil the same kind of roles, in some cases, presenting the same programme. More than 40 high-profile women have written a letter to the BBC director-general urging him to act now to close the gender gap and to “do the right thing.” In their letter they acknowledge, “Compared to many women and men, we are very well compensated and fortunate.” It is not clear, however, whether they think the BBC should increase their, already generous, salaries or reduce the salaries paid to some men.

Jesus told a parable about a landowner who, early one morning, hired workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them the normal daily labourer’s wage. At 9 o’clock, noon, 3 o’clock, and even 5’oclock, he saw people who had no work to do and hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right. At the end of the day he paid all the people a full day’s wage. Those who had worked all day complained that he had been unfair. The landowner replied that he had paid them the full day’s wage he had promised and said, “Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?” Then Jesus added, “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”

Jesus was teaching that God is wonderfully generous and kind. He doesn’t discriminate between rich and poor people or give preference to those who have had the privilege of knowing Christian teaching all their lives. At whatever time in our lives we come to God, he receives us and promises us forgiveness and eternal life. In Jesus, there is true equality that transcends all the great divisions between people in this world. The apostle Paul told the early Christians, “You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Posted on July 24, 2017 by Peter Milsom