Good Morning Friends,
A radio commentator recently blamed the Bible for America’s merit‑system problems, but such a view misunderstands Scripture. Merit has value, yet America is not a pure meritocracy. Hard work alone does not guarantee success. Too many people lack opportunity, education, support, or simple grace. Working hard has its place but more often than not, the way things get done is through people helping people.
The divide between rich and poor grows wider, and many who work hard still struggle. Scripture affirms a strong work ethic, but it also insists on dignity, fairness, and generosity. Consider the parable of the laborers who all received a full day’s wage regardless of hours worked. God’s economy is not built on strict merit but on grace. So we ask: What Is Wrong With the World When Hard Work Does Not Pay Off?
Scripture Summaries
Ephesians 2:12–22 We were once far from God, divided and without hope. But Christ has brought us near, breaking down walls of hostility and forming “one new humanity.” We are now citizens of God’s household, built together into a dwelling place for His Spirit.
Luke 12:35–38 Jesus calls His followers to be alert and ready—faithful servants who stay awake even in the night, trusting that the Master will return and bless those who remain steadfast.
Matthew 20:1–16 In the parable of the laborers, the landowner pays each worker the same wage, revealing God’s generosity and overturning human expectations of merit. “Are you envious because I am generous?” Jesus teaches that God’s grace, not human effort, defines the kingdom.
Philippians 4:13 Paul writes, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” This verse is not a promise of limitless achievement but a declaration of Christ‑centered endurance. Paul is speaking from a place of hardship. Paul is saying that his strength does not come from circumstances, merit, or personal ability, but from Christ’s sustaining presence. The point is not that we can accomplish anything we imagine, but that Christ empowers us to remain faithful, hopeful, and steadfast in every circumstance whether in abundance or need.
Message: We’ve been reflecting on the reality of evil, the love of money, and the myth that hard work alone guarantees success. It is a myth that we can achieve anything we want if we just work hard enough…is just that,a myth.Human limitations are real. Some barriers are structural, not personal. This is why we need Jesus and the Body of Christ. God’s love and grace becomes our greatest strength. Everything Jesus did was a pure expression of divine love, opening the way for us to receive His life and become His likeness in the world and participate in the new creation He offers.
But more often than not there is a problem and if we look in the mirror we might realize that we are part of the problem, but we also might realize that in Christ, we are also part of the solution.The work of the Church is to help solve the problem. And here we must face the reality that the church is not a social club. Early Christians welcomed those they would never have chosen on their own. “Philip went to the half-breed Samaritans… Peter went to unclean gentile ‘dogs’… Jews ate with gentiles.” The gospel breaks down dividing walls.
Chesterton once wrote a two word summary in answer to the question, what is the greatest problem with the world? He wrote as a confession “I am.” But what if the answer to the greatest problems is Christ, the great “I AM” living in us? Scripture tells a story not of despair but of restoration. Grace always exceeds sin. The rainbow after the flood is a sign of God’s promise to heal and renew. We persevere because God’s love is stronger than evil. Real love is contagious. Our hearts were made for God, and they find rest only in Him. We get things wrong when we focus solely on ourselves. The me, mine and my approach is the greatest barrier to the salvation Christ offers. But then we have the example of Jesus.
And So, in the end, friends, our confidence is not in merit, effort, or the fragile systems of this world. It is in Christ and His grace, His strength, His life at work within us. We do not persevere because hard work always pays off; we persevere because Christ holds us when our work seems unseen, unrewarded, or unfinished. He is the One who breaks down dividing walls, forms a new humanity, and empowers us to love in ways we could never sustain on our own. And so we stand, not in our adequacy but in His sufficiency, trusting the promise that has carried generations of believers through every limitation and every storm: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Pray that we love more inclusively. Pray we do not give up, even when hope feels thin. Pray we remember Christ left heaven’s harmony for earth’s turmoil so we might be made right with God and one another. Pray we trust that His humiliation and glory meet in the Incarnation, where heaven and earth are united. Pray for redemption, new creation, and courage to be part of God’s solution. Pray that whatever we do, we do with all our heart, strength and mind for God. Pray we believe we can do all things through His strength not our own.
Blessings,
John Lawson
