Never too late for God

School just started, but you feel like it's already too late for some things. You're sure your teacher doesn't like you, you hate science and you don't think those things can change at all.

Jesus would know how you feel. He met lots of people who thought it was "too late" -- too late for God to forgive them for bad things they'd done and too late to change. But in this week's Gospel (Matthew 20:1-16), He tells them it's never too late.

"Heaven is like a farmer who hired people to work in his fields," Jesus said. "He hired some at 9 a.m., some at noon, more in the afternoon and more later. At the end of the day, the farmer paid them all the same amount. The ones who'd worked longer grumbled. `I'm not cheating you!' the farmer said. `I promised you a day's pay, and you're getting it. So what if I want to pay these people just as much? It's my money.'" Jesus added: "The first will be last, and the last will be first."

Jesus' story was about you. The "farmer" in the story is really God, and the workers are us. Some people are usually happy about life; but others, the "workers who are hired late," are angry and unhappy until they decide to change.

It's easy to be like the later workers. If you decide it's too late to like your teacher or science class, nothing will change. You probably will spend the year miserable.

But remember: The workers hired last in the story got just as much money. So Jesus doesn't care if it takes us a while to change and come "work for Him," as long as we're trying.

Are there ways you can change what you don't like about school? You could ask for extra help with science or tell your teacher how you feel.

It's never too late to "get hired" by Jesus, to change stuff we don't like. You'll definitely be a happier person -- and you might even learn to like science!

PRAYER FOR THE WEEK: Jesus, help me look for ways to change things instead of just being unhappy. Amen!

(09-16-99)