20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius[a] for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
3 “About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ 5 So they went.
“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. 6 About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’
7 “‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.
“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’
8 “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’
9 “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius.11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner.12 ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’
13 “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
16 “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
Sara Wolbrecht
Salt House Church – Kirkland WA
Observation: For the workers in this parable and for us, too – we are all paid the same! What we “get” from serving God and his kingdom is not actually a wage or reward – God doesn’t make contracts with us. He makes covenants, promising us everything and asking us for everything in return. When he keeps his promises, it’s not a reward for effort, but God naturally giving from his over-flowingly generous nature. And everyone receives God’s generosity!
Action: May today be a day I do not keep score! May I look for and celebrate the signs of God’s generosity in my life and the lives of those around me.
1 denarius = 1 life = Jesus
Whatever time in your life that you accept Jesus; early childhood, teen, midlife, or at the end of the day, it all equals the entry fee for the kingdom of heaven.
Observation: “When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner.” I am guessing that at the beginning of the day, they were grateful to be paid a days wage. But then their perspective changed because they saw something “unfair.” How quickly they went from gratitude to attitude!
Action: Even in the midst of “unfairness” I will choose to be grateful for the way God has already taken care of me.
Observation: I see today the same thing ( a reinforcement) that I saw yesterday: I shouldn’t be concerned about what others do or get but should instead focus on myself.
Action: I will focus on myself. I will show love to others, but I will save my judgments and scrutinies for myself.
Observation: God, I love that You go out to the “Market place” throughout the day, looking for and inviting others in. At 5:00 the estate owner is back at the market and asks people who are standing around, “Why haven’t you been working today?” They reply, “Because no one hired us.” Give me Your eyes God, to love and invite others into Your family today.
Action: I will look to invite others into The Family 🙂
It’s never too late!
I’m praying for some of my loved ones to finally make themselves available to our wonderful, generous “Boss”.