“It’s not fair!” is a frequent refrain out of the mouth of my eight-year-old. He’s very concerned with fairness. Most humans are. That’s why the Parable of Laborers in the Vineyard can be so difficult. It seems unfair that the workers who labored all day receive the same wage as those who arrived at the last hour. But Jesus doesn’t share this story to make us resentful. Instead, he’s showing that God’s generosity doesn’t operate on a level of scarcity.
From a human perspective, more for someone else can feel like less for us, but that’s not how it works in God’s Kingdom. There’s more than enough to go around. God is not a limited resource. No one will ever lose because God is good to someone else.
Amen. :)
I’ve had a hard time understanding this parable for a number of years but finally gained some perspective on it. Upon thinking about the two that were crucified with Jesus that they too were offered God’s precious gift of salvation in their last hour makes the parable very important. It remindsme that our Lord and Savior is with us until our final moments.
I never hated explain that way thank you so much God bless us all Amen Amen Amen
The more I think about it the non-prodigal son after the prodigal son returned home must of felt like the all-day laborers. We should reflect on our own blessing and gifts and be grateful that we didn’t have to travel the paths of others.
Amen!
Excellent, Kate. Amen.
AMEN!
When we feel unfair is because we place ourselves in the first group of labors who worked all day!?!?!? *** Same principle of an upside down God’s Kingdom economy (Matthew 20:16) is recorded in 3 of the 4 Gospel in Matthew 19:30, Mark 10:31 and Luke 13:30, “But many who are first will be last. And many who are last will be first!” *** Which group of labor would you prefer to be? I asked the sane question to my girls when they were toddlers arguing who was first, “Would you like to be first so you can be last...
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Correction, “Imagine being the labors who worked all day knowing I would be going home with money to feed my family and not hungry!!!”
Blessings Kate on your words today. Church camp is where I first learned to put this scripture into a reality. The children in line were “bragging” that they were first in line. I informed my co-worker: put those children in the back and put the quieter ones up front. There is enough food to go around like God’s love just take the humble ones up front first. The ones who thought they were better than everyone else in the back. We had a discussion with these children to say to them, “no matter where you are in line, God’s love,...
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Amen