The Vineyard Kingdom

Mt. 20:14-16

Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?'  So the last will be first, and the first last."

Jesus gives another parable describing the kingdom of heaven. It is compared to a master's house where the master hires workers for his vineyard. The workers who came early, worked longer, and in the heat of the day received the same wage as the workers who were hired in the final hour of the day. When the early workers saw this, they felt it was an inequity and grumbled at the master. But the master assured them that He had done no wrong. After all did they not agree to work for a specified amount? Jesus replied without any hesitation that He chose the last worker as He chose the early workers. It is His choice! The early workers were actually begrudging His generosity and putting their standard of right and wrong on His actions. But the kingdom of heaven does not operate on man's standards. It operates on mercy and grace. It is a huge mercy that the final worker was chosen at the last hour, and an even greater mercy that any workers were chosen at all. The early workers are thinking that their work had value to the Master, that somehow what they had done was of more value. But the point is that human works and merit are of no value. The kingdom of God is based on grace, love, and mercy.

In this kingdom, the last will be first and the first last. Everything is topsy-turvy because human merit and works count for nothing. Certainly, there is no room for comparison with other workers; instead, the worker should examine his heart. Is there any root of ingratitude or self-worth? Is there any amount of comparison and self-righteousness? How does the heart respond to such grace and mercy? Shouldn't I rejoice that others have been allowed into the vineyard no matter the hour? Regardless of the hour, such grace and mercy is more than any worker deserves? My heart should be focused on my salvation (my entrance to the vineyard) and my relationship with the Master. Sadly, it is the flesh that seeks to control that finds the inequities and allows them to fester into a sore of grumbling discontent. Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation.

Father,
Thank You for choosing me to be Your worker. Keep my eyes ever fixed on You and root out any comparison that rankles within my flesh.
In Jesus name,
Amen