Discover His heart: He desires that we bless those who serve us with generous hearts
I don’t think any novel has had more movies made from it than the beloved “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens, and I enjoy them all. From the classic black and white version with Alastair Sim to the contemporary Jim Carrey rendition, and every movie in between, I love the story of a changed man named Scrooge. Not only was the old Scrooge miserly in his giving to the poor, but he was stingy with his faithful employee, Bob Cratchit, as well. His treatment of Bob was the historical raw deal, overworked and underpaid. Of course, Dickens wasn’t the first to address the subject of stinginess. Moses had it covered long before.
@ Deuteronomy 25
“You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” (4) We may not feel edified by this scripture, but keep reading because it’s more relevant than we may think. Moses was addressing kindness and mercy towards the animals that toiled for the Israelites. The oxen crushed the grains under their hooves for hours to remove the hard outer shells, and to muzzle them would deprive them of eating some of the grain for themselves. Solomon wrote, “The godly care for their animals, but the wicked are always cruel.” (Proverbs 12:10) The sanitary conditions of this aside, even an ox deserves compensation for its labors.
Paul took this simple scripture to another level in the New Testament in I Corinthians 9:9-10, “For the law of Moses says, ‘You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.’ Was God thinking only about oxen when he said this? Wasn’t he actually speaking to us? Yes, it was written for us, so that the one who plows and the one who threshes the grain might both expect a share of the harvest.”
How we treat those who serve us is important to God. Employees who work for us, those who faithfully minister to us and individuals who make a living off of tips offered in gratitude deserve to share in the harvest. Living the life of Scrooge is not a godly lifestyle. It’s one thing to be frugal, but it’s another thing to be cheap.
“Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, ‘You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.’ And in another place, ‘Those who work deserve their pay!’” (I Timothy 5:17-18) Paul took to heart our verse today from Deuteronomy, quoting it twice in his writings. Those who preach and teach the Word of God “should be respected and paid well” for their faithfulness to the work of God. The old school of thought that a pastor only works one day a week is pure ignorance. Most pastors serve their congregations six or seven days a week and are generous with their time almost to a fault. How cruel it would be a muzzle them by not providing for their needs.
During the Christmas Season when the spirit of giving is in the air, as well as throughout the year, let’s remember with generous hearts those who serve us in so many different roles and those who minister to us. I want to be like the new and improved Scrooge of Christmas morning but without the nocturnal visitors. “Ever afterwards..it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!” (C. Dickens)
Moving Forward: I thank God today for the generous hearts that minister to me and bless my life.
Tomorrow @ Nehemiah 5-9
Phyllis Benigas 