The First Shall Be Last
Is it essential that all the great ones from the past be gathered to make the current work successful. Is it essential that you were someone of significance in a past life? This parable of Jesus gives some answers:
“For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
“And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
“And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
“So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
“But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
“But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
“Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.” Matt 20:1-16
Many of those who were people of significance in the past are born into the current cycle with a major handicap. They will often come with an internal sense of superiority that makes them of little use until they relearn the necessary humility and other lessons necessary for success.
Let us take, for example, a person who may have been born into royalty in a past life. All those around him are subject to his every whim and he is engrained with a sense that he deserves his power and respect. He is then born in a future life with a sense that “the world owes him a living” and does not have the wherewithal to earn his own way. He may wind up being a homeless bum until he learns the needed lessons.
This principle also works with the workers of light to a degree. One may be a student of a great master in one life and obtain a false sense that he is more spiritually deserving than the next guy. If this seed of illusion grows then in a future life he may wind up being a dreamer in illusion who is of no use to the Great Ones. Thus he was first and became the last.
Even so it is now. We are in the twelfth hour of the labors in the vineyard and many new workers are being hired and coming forth to serve. In many ways their labors now for this one hour are considered as valuable as that of the older laborers over thousands of years. Why? Because many of the older laborers are expecting to be the new gurus who will be served and respected. Consequently, they are of little use in the present. The new workers will wind up performing a service of equal value to the combined value of the seasoned ones.
So, my friends, do not concern your self with whether or not you were a great one in the past. Such a status may actually be a handicap to you. Only concern yourself with becoming a great servant in the present. The present is where the point of power lies.
Is it possible to neutralize the handicap of past success in the present life?
Yes, but only if one “becomes as a little child” and is willing to let all attachments go and learn “all things new.”
May 22, 2000
Copyright by J J Dewey
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