Matthew 20:1-16

What surprises you about the landowner’s employment practices? Why do you think he would hire people at 5:00 pm—an hour before quitting time? What seems to motivate the actions of the landowner in hiring AND in wages? Do you think the workers’ complaint about unfair treatment is valid?

This is a story about the kingdom of heaven. How is employment and wages in the kingdom different from employment and wages in our world? Who receives the greatest benefits from “kingdom labor practices?” Would you like to work in the kingdom of heaven? Why or why not?

For Pastor Ray’s perspective on this story as it relates to employment and wages, go HERE

We’re not just talking about the nutritional content of fast food.  Injuries are common for Fast Food Workers.  They are so common that last week, McDonald’s workers filed 28 health and safety complaints with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and state agencies against McDonalds in 19 cities.

Brittney Berry, a McDonald’s worker in Chicago slipped on a wet floor, catching her arm on a hot grill.  She was told by her managers to put mustard on it!  But the burn was so bad that she had to be taken by ambulance to the hospital for treatment.  Her experience isn’t uncommon.  According to the National Council of Occupational Safety and Health, 33% of employees who suffer burns are told to place condiments like mustard, mayonnaise, butter and even ketchup on their injury instead of burn cream.  Thanks to inappropriate treatment, many employees wear the scars of work in fast food for life.

Ian Swanson, a Chicago 5th grader, has started a petition asking Ronald McDonald to stop hurting workers.  You can sign it HERE.

John 5:1-18

Bethesda means “house of grace”, but there hasn’t been much grace to be found in this place for this man who has been waiting for 38 years to jump into the magic waters where he will be healed of his disability (and finally employable.) What parallels do you see between his situation and our current “labor pool”? We often see thousands of desperate people lining up to apply for a few jobs. Only the lucky few get the grace. How does Jesus’ action challenge the system?

Once the man is healed, he is stopped by the Sabbath police and ticketed for working! What mindset is at the heart of the actions of the Jewish leaders? Where do you see similar mindsets today?

Jesus says that God is at work all the time. What do you think God’s work is in relationship to employment?

In April, 2014, Pope Francis tweeted, “Inequality is the root of all social evil.”  This tweet came months after publishing his 84 page “Evangelii Gaudium”, in which he called unfettered capitalism “the new tyranny”.  “As long as the problems of the poor are not radically resolved by rejecting the absolute autonomy of markets and financial speculation and by attacking the structural causes of inequality, no solution will be found for the world’s problems or, for that matter, to any problems.”   

Luke 7:1-10

At first, this doesn’t seem like a passage about work. However, it IS about a worker—the servant—and his boss, the Centurion. List all the actions of the Centurion while his servant is sick. Would you say that he is a good boss? Why? How do his actions give dignity to the lowly servant? Why do you think Jesus is so impressed by this boss? On a scale from 1 to 10, how much dignity do you think most low-wage workers receive? How could the “dignity meter” be raised?

It depends on who you talk to.  Ron Sider says, “Yes!”  “Not so fast,” say J. E. Dyer.  Two Christians, two perspectives.  What do you think?

Luke 10:25-37

The familiar story has become known as the parable of the Good Samaritan. This is a story Jesus told to answer the lawyer’s question, “Who is my neighbor?” And the answer is: The one who is injured and abused by thieves. What does it look like to BE a neighbor? What actions of the Samaritan represent “neighborliness”?

Think of this story in the context of our global economy and the labor market. Who are our neighbors? Who are currently being injured and abused by the global economy? What would “helping them” look like?

Help is costly. When have you avoided helping your oppressed neighbor because you wanted to save your resources?

There is no devotional for Sunday, March 22, 2015

If you have some time, HERE is a fascinating look at the way that income distribution has changed in the past 100 years.  In 2013, the top 1% of households (households making more than $367,100) took home over 20% of all income!  And the average income for the top 10% of households was $272,515, while the average income for the bottom 90% of households was $31,652.  Compare that to 1973, when the average income of the top 10% was $162,467 (in 2013 dollars) while the bottom 90% made an average of $36,105.   This is the growing income inequality in the US.

2 Corinthians 8:9; 1 John 3:16-18

How is Jesus a model of love? How does a redistribution of resources mirror Jesus? John makes the bold claim that a refusal to distribute resources is an indication that God’s love is not active in a person’s life. If you were to evaluate yourself on this basis, how active is God’s love in you? If you were to evaluate your faith community on this basis, how active is God’s love in you all? What does an active love life look like in relationship to low-wage workers?

Here is the reality of wealth inequality in the United States in an eye opening video.