Living in the Spirit
Light a Candle for Children
October 4, 2014
Scripture Reading: Matthew 21:33-46
‘Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watch-tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, “They will respect my son.” But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.” So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?’ They said to him, ‘He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.’ —Matthew 21:33-41
Greed is epidemic in our land. We want what we want when we want it. We have little if any consideration of the impact our greed has on others. Factories in other countries use child labor and follow few safety practices. Such factories are making many of the gadgets and must-have brand name clothing that we demand. Fires and other events have killed hundreds of adults and children working in these establishments. Greed is also what encourages American businesses to keep these factories going because if the work were done in the USA or other countries that regulate safety and child labor, the profits would not be as good.
We can read the parable Jesus told in today’s scripture and feel good about ourselves because we would never do such horrid things. We are people of integrity and honesty. We want the best for all people. Do we really? Whenever we are benefiting from the misfortune of others we are not loving them, and that includes benefiting here in the USA from people who are not earning a living wage. We are as culpable as the businesses working children, not providing a safe work environment, and not paying a living wage for they would not be fostering such environments, if we were not buying the goods they produce.
I use the word “we” on purpose for I am as guilty as anyone. I try to make wise decisions but have been surprised after purchasing something to see a label that says it was made in one of the places where terrible fires occurred. A good place to start is to look for the “fair trade*” label. While it is not yet used on everything, it is a good place to start making a difference for all the people for whom we really do want the best.
Oklahoma Fact: 26% of children live in Low-income working families.**
Prayer: Show us ways to be protectors of other through our commerce, O Lord, and give us the courage and will to practice them. Amen.