Matthew 20:8-12 New International Version (NIV)
8 “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.’
9 “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.'
Tue. August 18 - Matthew 20:8-12I almost feel bad for the workers who worked the entire “burden of the day and the scorching heat.” Almost. It seems like the owner of the vineyard was messing with their heads by paying the workers who only worked an hour first! He must have known exactly what he was doing as those who worked the whole day watched and waited. They knew as well as we do that more work equals more pay. They would have been doing the math in their heads as they stood in line. “If that man got $100 for an hour of work then I should get $800 for eight hours!” I would have had the same reaction! But the owner of the vineyard is not actually being unfair or unjust. He is simply being extraordinarily generous to everyone! Everyone in God’s kingdom is forgiven! What Jesus did through his death and resurrection is universal and inclusive (remember John 3:16). The exclusive part is faith. Will you receive (trust)) the “payment” that God has generously given to you? Or be offended?
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