By the Rules

Sometimes we get distracted by everyday matters.

Timothy You then, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus; and what you have heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will be able to teach others as well. Share in suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving in the army gets entangled in everyday affairs; the soldier's aim is to please the enlisting officer. And in the case of an athlete, no one is crowned without competing according to the rules. It is the farmer who does the work who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in all things. - 2 Timothy 2:1-7

It is only fair that those who do the work reap the rewards, and I think that is the message in today's reading.  It sounds simple enough.  And it makes sense, yet sometimes we let ourselves get distracted by what we see others do or obtain.

I know someone who chooses not to work.  If it was up to him, he would never look for it at all, but from time to time, having exhausted all other efforts to obtain money, he finds a way to talk someone into hiring him.

He has a talent for that.  He is convincing, sounding sincere and eager to make his life better.  But the real work he does is to weave stories that play on people's compassion and desire to help.

So, he gets work, but he fails to follow the rules.  He looks for every opportunity to take advantage, to gain more than he is worth.  And after getting paid, he goes his own way, abandoning his job.

You could say that he lets himself become distracted by the world, but there is more to it than that.  He is like the contestant in the race who gets a ride to the bend just before the finish line and then runs the last mile to claim victory without having followed the rules.

Of course, he is always found out.  But it doesn't matter to him.

He sees the world differently.  To him, it is all a game where the fools play by the rules.

The lesson tells us not to follow that path, but to do the work we've been assigned.  As followers of Christ, that work is to share the Good News and to help others in need.

That could make us easy pray for those who don't play by the rules, and that is our biggest challenge, to know the difference.

So, maybe we should follow the instructions and focus on those who obey the rules.  But then how do we help those who need to learn the true path?

This is where we have to decide.  Do we let them take advantage while we try to change them, or do we avoid them?

More to come...