The Master's Generosity

 

[Jesus said] “For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 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.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 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.” (Matthew 20:1-16 ESV).

 

Our reading today is often called “The Workers in the Vineyard,” but the central character is really the eccentric landowner. The landlord needs workers to maintain his vineyard. Some hardy souls are standing on the street corner ready for work at daybreak. Others start work a while later; and then others arrive for hire. Some, however, loiter all day and put in only one hour of work at the end. The master of the vineyard responds to this unequal schedule by giving all the workers the same pay!

 

This surprise gives us a window into the kingdom of God. It speaks to the incredible generosity of God in the application of His grace. God’s generous grace flows as freely to those who bow to Christ on their deathbed as to believers who have given a lifetime of service to Christ. Interestingly the owner’s most industrious workers grumble and complain. And, surprisingly, he reprimands them, though they have endured the burden of the work and the heat of the day.

 

God is so concerned with producing generous and compassionate people that he rewards those who don’t put in a full life’s work. And he expects the rest of us to be happy about it.

This story gives us a mirror in which we must examine the areas of our life that fail to reflect God’s character. Often we compare ourselves with others and are convinced we deserve more. But God’s generosity transcends human ideas of fairness. Divine generosity gives to all, expecting nothing in return.