Dr Houston McKelvey: Testing the economics of God and the world

Economics dominate our world. Trade deals with other countries make the headlines. The impact of lockdown on businesses also features.
By Rev Dr Houston McKelvey: Testing the economics of God and the world
Published 19th Sep 2020, 07:04 BST
Pacemaker Press 03-10-2010: Veterans and the families of those who served in the Burma campaigns of World War II will attend a service in St Anne's Cathedral, Belfast.During the service the Standard of the Belfast Branch of the Burma Star Association will be received by the Dean, Very Rev Dr Houston McKelvey and laid up for safekeeping by Jimmy Tweedie . Picture By: Arthur Allison.Pacemaker Press 03-10-2010: Veterans and the families of those who served in the Burma campaigns of World War II will attend a service in St Anne's Cathedral, Belfast.During the service the Standard of the Belfast Branch of the Burma Star Association will be received by the Dean, Very Rev Dr Houston McKelvey and laid up for safekeeping by Jimmy Tweedie . Picture By: Arthur Allison.
Pacemaker Press 03-10-2010: Veterans and the families of those who served in the Burma campaigns of World War II will attend a service in St Anne's Cathedral, Belfast.During the service the Standard of the Belfast Branch of the Burma Star Association will be received by the Dean, Very Rev Dr Houston McKelvey and laid up for safekeeping by Jimmy Tweedie . Picture By: Arthur Allison.

This brings an unavoidable challenge to congregations, and individual Christians - “Have you a word from the Lord?”. Sometimes by the most uncanny of coincidence we are pointed towards the source of an answer. In Bible readings two passages have helped me think and pray.

In Exodus 16: 2-15, the Israelites complain that Moses has brought them out into the desert to die because they have no food. But God tells Moses to inform the people that God has heard their complaints and will send them food. In the evening, quails fill the camp, and in the morning manna covers the ground.

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In Matthew 20: 1-16 is the well-known parable about hiring workers for a vineyard. Regardless of what time of day each person was hired, they all got the same wages. These two seemingly unrelated passages, are on the same theme - economics of God.

God’s economics are not like our human economics. Often, we humans just do not get the economics of God. In the scripture readings, we have reminders of the ways we miss the point about God’s economics.

The people of Israel have participated in the stupendous exodus by which God took them away from the false economy, the slave society, known as Egypt. Despite all odds, they have escaped from the control of the Pharaoh administration.

The experience was stunning. But shortly afterward comes the episode reported in the Exodus reading. What is it that the people do? They forget. They complain. They cast accusations. Hear these Israelites again: “If only we had died in the slave economy, where there was no freedom but plenty of food. But you, Moses and Aaron, you have brought us out to the middle of nowhere so that we will starve to death.”

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They, like ourselves at times, forget the first lesson of the divine economy: remember the Lord’s goodness and be thankful.

Responding to this through Moses, the Lord sounds offended – and with reason. But the Lord does not punish; instead, He demonstrates yet again his tremendous generosity. Bread from heaven is what he gives. But they can make no sense of it. They say to each other, “Manna?” which means something like, “What is this stuff?” Another lesson of God’s economy: Too often the gifts go unrecognized.

God gives them bread. Enough to sustain them every single day and double for the sabbath, the day of rest. And so, more lessons from the divine economy. God provides. Enough to meet our needs, but not our greeds.

Now to the labour management story, Jesus tells. What does the reign of God resemble? What can we know of God’s economy? A landowner pays all the day-labourers the same, even though some started work at dawn and others were hired at later times in the day. Each labourer receives the same amount.

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The higher justice of the landowner scandalises the all-day workers. So, the landowner questions them: “Are you envious because I am generous?”

God sometimes questions us in this way when we begrudge people what they need. “Are you envious because I am generous?” God cares about everybody’s welfare, loving us all without discrimination, recognising in each one a dignity that reflects the divine splendour.

Don’t let the economics of this world distract us from God’s economics.