Wages

"When people work, their wages are not a gift. Workers earn what they receive. But people are declared righteous because of their faith, not because of their work." Romans 4:4-5

For my first paying job, I worked at a pizza place. I made pizzas, took orders on the phone, cleaned the dining area, mopped the floors, etc. I tried to keep a positive attitude and did for the most part, but it finally became a greater burden than the wage I was earning could overcome. We feel good when our wages match what we feel we deserve for our labor. 

In his letter to those living in Rome, Paul had some things to say about wages too. In our verses for the day, he tells us there is a wage we simply cannot earn and that is to be declared "righteous" by God. It is a faith issue not a works issue. Our preoccupation with wages steers us off course when we speak of spiritual matters. Later in his letter, Paul tells us that our wage (what we deserve) for our work (sin) is death. 

Too many of us have viewed a relationship with God from a performance perspective. Good people go to heaven right? Nope. Earlier in Paul's letter he wrote that no one is good. Uh oh. If good people don't go to heaven, then who does? Anyone, everyone who puts their faith in Jesus receives the gift of forgiveness and a place in heaven. In God's economy, we feel good when we don't get what we've earned.