Matthew 20:1-16
I work for the government. Not glamorous but an honest job that I enjoy. We are encouraged to do our best, think out of the box, work collaboratively and most of all, keep our patients first. Not what you'd think of typical government facility or worker. Still, I am an active unionist even if it is not like that of Jimmy Hoffa. What I noticed and I am sure some others would notice is that this was clearly not a union shop in today's passage. First of all, the landowner was hiring workers 'first thing in he morning' and all day long and even at 5pm until evening when the workers were paid. Not a 9-5 job for sure. Probably hard work .... for sure. Perhaps the seeds of unionism were sown right here with the concept of equal pay for equal work. That concept appeals to us and our sense of what is right and wrong.
But God doesn't seem to be fair, at least by our human standards. God loves us all equally. Sounds great in theory but we insert our own human and personal agendas into everything. Clearly the generosity of God is not limited by what we seem to think. This passage seems clear about that.
Then to drive the point home, let me remind you of the story of the prodigal son. This young man squanders his fathers money on easy living, prostitutes and generally being a bum ( in current vernacular). The father not only welcomed him back home with open arms, he kills the fatted calf for the celebration. We know how that irked the 'good son'. If I were that father, I'm no do sure how I'd react. All that hard earned money of mine wasted. And there's another rub, we usuallythink we have actually earned everything we 'own' as if God and other humans had no hand in everything we do. But would I welcome my son back at all?
Clearly God's standards of worthiness are not the same as ours and God's sense of generosity and justice are far beyond what we humans can grasp. We have our own senses of entitlement, justice and worthiness.
You'd better get it clear now and adjust your thinking because no matter what we have to say about it God's way will prevail. I can only imagine the surprised faces at the pearly gates. Some of those we expect to see may not be there and others we are so sure are going to hell in a hand basket will be smiling to greet is. Come to think of it, that's assuming we're going where we want to be going. I am pretty confident that if I try to align my thoughts with God's and try to love as best I can, His generosity and compassion will be on me in spite of my failings.
‘For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the market-place and he said to them, “You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went.When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, “Why are you standing here idle all day?”They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You also go into the vineyard.” When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, “Call the labourers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.” When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, “These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.” But he replied to one of them, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?” o the last will be first, and the first will be last.’
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