When my sister and I were growing up, it seemed like every other conversation with our parents ended with the phrase “It’s not fair!”
My sister got to take a bath second which mean a slightly later bedtime. It’s not fair. 
I had to spend my precious time waiting for my sister to get her stuff together after school to give her a ride since I was already able to drive. It’s not fair.
Little brother, who was 12 years younger got to live like an only child because we were long gone. It’s not fair.
I could go on… but I won’t. Because this “It’s not fair” jam really shows my ugly side.
Yuck.
But when we really think about it, we probably all have a side like that… And most of us can probably relate to the experience of the workers in the vineyard as we walk through the Parable found in Matthew 20.
Here’s the 7 Days Time abridged version of the parable:
A vineyard owner needed some people to work in his vineyard. He hired some folks on at the crack of dawn, promising to pay them a fair wage of one denarius. They readily agreed and went to work.
As the day progressed, the owner saw that he needed more workers to get the job done. So he hired more at noon, three and again at 5pm.
When the day was complete, he paid the last-hired workers their one denarius. The workers who clocked in 12 hours ago were excited when they saw this, because they assumed this meant they would be getting paid much more than the promised denarius.
Wrong. They also got a single denarius, just as promised.
Were they grateful for the generous wage given by the vineyard owner? Nope. They grumbled and said they “deserved” more.
The owner then asked them if he was holding true to his promise (yes) and what right they had to be jealous of his generosity.
The owner ends with that powerful statement: “The last will be first and the first will be last.”
Pretty intense, right? But just what does this mean for us?
There are several different take-aways from this parable. First, we must understand that the vineyard is like the kingdom of heaven and the owner is Jesus. The workers are us.
Probably the biggest message here is that we shouldn’t be frustrated, angry or jealous about the mercy God extends to ALL his people who love Him. It doesn’t matter when we started “working” for Him, be it when we were 6-years-old at vacation bible school or 96-years-old on our deathbed.
God has the right, ability, power and grace to extend mercy and offer salvation to EVERYONE. For that, we should not grumble but instead rejoice!
Also, there is a lesson of humility in here. NONE of us deserve God’s mercy… it is a gift. So we should readily and joyfully accept His invitation, not complaining for more or telling God how “good” we have been or how hard we have worked for Him.
He doesn’t need a reminder. He knows.
The ungrateful workers were like the Pharisees– they thought they deserved a “special” place in heaven because they worked extra hard to follow the rules. But they left out the relationship piece with Christ.
If we are truly in relationship with Jesus, then we should be overjoyed when another “worker” accepts the invitation to work for God and receives “payment” of salvation from Him.
This can be a tough parable to swallow, especially of we see ourselves as “working” extra hard for Christ while our earthly eyes see others just hanging out. In what areas of your life do you experience spiritual jealousy? How can you combat that? Join the conversation by leaving a comment below.
Let’s take the challenge, friends. We are all on the same team, working for the same “boss” in the same “vineyard.” Let’s encourage one another and rejoice when each of us receives His heavenly, eternal reward!
Working for Him,
“Here it is again, the Great Reversal: many of the first ending up last, and the last first.” ~Matthew 20:16 MSG
Linking up today with Kelli via Unforced Rhythms, Laura at Playdates with God, and Joan’s Beauty in His Grip. Oh! And be sure to join our #EverydayJesus link-up community right here at 7 Days Time every Thursday!
