A Generous God

[Jesus said] “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. . . “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’ “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. . . “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you.’”

Matthew 20:1,8-11,13,14

A good story can change the way you see something or someone. Jesus’ story about the landowner and the workers he hires does just that.

Jesus didn’t tell this simple story so that we could learn something about economics or ancient farming practices. Jesus told it so it would change the way we look at the abundance of God’s grace.

In Jesus’ story, those who worked a full day received a full day’s wage. And those who worked less than a full day also received a full day’s wage. The reward was the same, regardless of time or amount of work.

It is a story that offends our sensibilities of what is fair but also changes how we see God. It teaches us that he has a higher goal than fairness. We are confronted with the beautiful truth that God’s love for us is not based on what we have done but on his generosity.

What a relief to know that our God is this generous! Take comfort in this truth and celebrate it today!

Prayer:

Father, allow me to see and appreciate the abundance of your grace. Amen.