In Matthew 20 verses 1 through 16, Jesus tells the parable of the workers. I’ll paraphrase it but
encourage you to read the scripture for the full context. A vineyard owner hires some workers at
daybreak to work in his field all day. At several time during the day, he hired other workers. When the
day was done, he paid the first workers the agreed upon amount for the day. However, when those
hired later in the day were paid it was the same amount as those who worked all day. The first hired
were furious that those who worked less hours were paid the same amount as they were.
We can understand that, can’t we? It just doesn’t seem fair…and from the human standpoint it really
wasn’t. But the understanding of the parable is skewed if we look at it from the physical and carnal
perspective. It’s not about working or hiring practices or fairness. Jesus said it was about two things:
The Kingdom of Heaven and the generosity of the owner (God).
God does not penalize us for the amount of time we are away from him; how old we are when we are
saved. Some are saved at an early age, some later, and some even experience what we refer to as a
“deathbed conversion”. We ask why God would allow a person who lived a life of depravity, ignoring
the call of Jesus, full access to the glories of heaven?
The answer is this: He is a generous God. While we can understand the attitude of the field laborers, the
spiritual aspect calls for a far different response. Joy. We would be joyful when someone is saved,
regardless of the circumstances and time frame. After all…do any of us really deserve heaven?
Say good things about your Savior and His church on the bluff.
Bro. Tony
encourage you to read the scripture for the full context. A vineyard owner hires some workers at
daybreak to work in his field all day. At several time during the day, he hired other workers. When the
day was done, he paid the first workers the agreed upon amount for the day. However, when those
hired later in the day were paid it was the same amount as those who worked all day. The first hired
were furious that those who worked less hours were paid the same amount as they were.
We can understand that, can’t we? It just doesn’t seem fair…and from the human standpoint it really
wasn’t. But the understanding of the parable is skewed if we look at it from the physical and carnal
perspective. It’s not about working or hiring practices or fairness. Jesus said it was about two things:
The Kingdom of Heaven and the generosity of the owner (God).
God does not penalize us for the amount of time we are away from him; how old we are when we are
saved. Some are saved at an early age, some later, and some even experience what we refer to as a
“deathbed conversion”. We ask why God would allow a person who lived a life of depravity, ignoring
the call of Jesus, full access to the glories of heaven?
The answer is this: He is a generous God. While we can understand the attitude of the field laborers, the
spiritual aspect calls for a far different response. Joy. We would be joyful when someone is saved,
regardless of the circumstances and time frame. After all…do any of us really deserve heaven?
Say good things about your Savior and His church on the bluff.
Bro. Tony