Generous, Not Fair
10 "Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12 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.' 13 But he replied to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?' 16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last." (Matthew 20:10-16)
We think we are comfortable with Jesus' command to love one another the way we love ourselves until Jesus spells out what that's really supposed to look like. Jesus told a parable describing the kingdom of heaven like a vineyard where all workers are paid the same amount no matter how long they worked - even if they only worked for 1 hour! In this scenario, everyone knew and agreed to the amount of payment before they started working. But those who worked all day assumed something more would be given to them when they saw the last workers (the short-timers) being given the same amount they had been promised for a full day's work. When they were given their agreed upon pay, the first workers felt cheated. The owner of the vineyard, however, pointed out that it was his money, that he had given each worker exactly what he'd promised, and it was his right to be equally generous with the last workers as he was with the first.
Comparison is a killer - a killer of joy, peace, and contentment. God's blessings for someone else in no way diminish God's blessings for us. Any time we rank ourselves as more worthy than someone else to receive God's goodness, we are forgetting that we can't earn God's grace and we can never make ourselves worthy of it. It's a gift when God gives it to us and it's a gift when God gives it to someone else. God is good! And God desires all of creation to experience, recognize, and acknowledge that goodness. If we focus on all that God has done and is doing in our lives, we will be so busy thanking and praising God that we won't have time to be envious of anyone else. In fact, seeing the good that God is doing for someone else should also prompt our praise because it's all God's grace. How disappointing it must be to God when we are so oblivious to, and ungrateful for, the gifts and blessings God has generously given us that we waste our time being sullen and feeling envious of each other. May God open our eyes, constantly, to the abundance of blessings and grace God showers on us each day. And, with unending gratitude, may we spend our energy giving God all glory and praise.
God's kingdom come, God's will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
1 I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. 2 Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. 3 Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable. 4 One generation shall extol your works to another and shall declare your mighty acts. 5 They will recount the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. 6 They will proclaim the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. 7 They shall celebrate the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. 8 The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. (Psalm 145:1-8)
Enjoy this original song by yours truly.
...And this timeless classic!
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