Hello everyone.
In this blogpost we will explore a parable that Jesus told: the parable of the laborers in the vineyard.
I see a beautiful insight that can be gained from this parable. Without further ado, let’s dive into this story.
The parable of the laborers in the vineyard is found in Matthew 20.
Early one morning a householder hired laborers to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay this first group of laborers a penny each for the day’s labor. At the third hour of the day, the householder returned to the marketplace and saw people standing idly there. He said to them:
“Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.” Matthew 20:4 (KJV)
“Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.” Matthew 20:5 (KJV)
Then came the eleventh hour.
“And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.” Matthew 20:6-7 (KJV)
When the evening came, it was time for all of the laborers to be paid. The householder decided to pay everyone starting with the last laborers and ending with the first laborers. When the eleventh-hour laborers were paid, they each received a penny. This irritated the first hour laborers.
“But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, saying, these last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.” Matthew 20:10-12 (KJV)
The householder’s response provides food for thought.
“But he answered one of them, and said, friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.” Matthew 20:13-16 (KJV)
The householder in this parable represents God, our Heavenly Father. God is not a respecter of persons. (Acts 10:34) Every gift that God gives to us is given out of love. We can not earn anything from God.
We may often forget that our sins put Jesus on the cross. There is nothing any of us could ever do to pay God back for the forgiveness and grace that He extends to us. The best thing that we can do is to respond in grateful obedience to Him.
As we live life from a perspective of gratitude rather than of entitlement, life becomes sweeter. As we come to understand the beautiful and just heart of our Heavenly Father, we come to see more and more fully that every blessing in life is a gift from Him.
As we bask in God’s love, we more and more clearly see ourselves and our brothers and sisters in Christ as recipients of His beautiful grace. We see that we are all on a journey together. Humility and the sweetest, others-centered joy fills our hearts. We rejoice as we see God blessing those around us while He continues to bless us. As we all strive “toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” as Paul so beautifully describes this goal in Philippians 3:14 (KJV), we are all simply grateful to have been given a place in God’s vineyard.
When we get to heaven, we will know that it was the loving Householder who brought us all there. He is the One who saw the potential in each and every one of us and who gave us a work to do in His vineyard. He is the One who caused any good thing that we have done to prosper. Whether we are first or last, we will all know the same love and our hearts will all be in unison with the great heart of God who showed us what love is.
Learn and Grow 4ever 