Fractured Parables

A man was about to take some time off, so he called his workers into a meeting. He delegated responsibilities to each person with what he thought they could handle. Everybody had their assignments and got to the tasks at hand. Well almost everybody. The first two employees took their many tasks and did what they were supposed to but the third guy stuck his one task on the back burner and did nothing.

Well, the boss comes back from vacation and calls each one into his office to see how things have been going. The first guy says here is what you gave me and I did it all. The boss scowls, ”What do you want a medal? “You did your job, it is nothing special”. The second man comes in and explains he got his task done as well. The boss looks at him and says, “Well, I must have not have given you enough to do. Go do your job! That guy over there did twice as much as you did, why are you not like him?

Finally, the last guy comes in and passes the incomplete task back to his boss. The boss is confused, “Why didn’t you do it? “Well, it’s your fault”, the third man exclaims, “The environment here is too harsh, too much judgment and expectations”. “I didn’t feel important enough with my one task to feel like part of the team, so I couldn’t perform to expectations”. The boss understanding his plight and replies, “How could we function without you?” “I think I am going to promote you to head over these two, that way we can’t be accused of being unfeeling and judgmental”. So the third man takes over by first firing the first man since he was making everyone feel bad and then putting all his work on the second man so he will learn to work harder.

I hope you figured out that isn’t how Jesus told this parable.

Yet that’s how some make it play out. Those that work the most are not told ‘Well done good servant” “here is your reward” but rather are expected to do more and more till they are burned out. Workers are not praised for their actions but unfairly compared to others. All the while those that do the least are given the forum to complain and criticize and the organization is expected to change itself to meet their needs.

This shouldn't happen in the Lord’s church. We have a responsibility to be workers in our Lord’s kingdom. Let make sure that do so are encouraged and uplifted. Those that don’t do but lay blame shouldn’t be rewarded but rebuked.

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