Parables of Grace: Embrace God’s Love for YouSample

Laborers in the Vineyard: Grace to the Undeserving

“That’s so unfair, Mom!” As a parent of three kids, I have heard this complaint more times than I can count. It seems like by nature, they keep score, and they will argue if they think one of them gets more than they do.

Jesus begins this parable with, “The Kingdom of heaven is like…” His words give us a window into what God’s reign will look like, where generosity is extended to those who have not earned it and the focus is not on getting the most for myself but rather making sure others are provided and cared for as well (Matthew 19:30, 20:16).

In this parable, the landowner of the vineyard goes out multiple times to hire more workers. He tells those he hired early in the morning that he would pay them a denarius for the day, which is the usual daily wage of a day laborer. At 9 am, he went out to hire more workers and told them that he would pay them whatever was right. He did this several more times.

Finally, at 5 pm, he went out one last time and found others still standing around and hired them, too. Day laborers are dependent on being hired since they do not own their own land. If they are not paid that day, their family may go hungry.

At first, it appears that the landowner is being frugal by assessing how much work there is to be done before hiring the number of workers he needs. For the landowner to make the most of his investment, he must hire the appropriate number of workers.

Usually, those who worked the longest would be paid first, then the next-longest workers would be paid next, and so on. But the landowner reverses the order of payment. When the laborers who were hired early in the day see that the last ones hired get paid a denarius, they probably expect to be paid more, only to be disappointed when they receive the same payment.

When they complain to the landowner about how they were treated unfairly, the landowner reframes the issue to one of generosity. These workers were paid what they were promised. But they were so focused on the perceived wrong done to them that they failed to see that they worked for a kind and generous employer!

This parable addresses the envy we experience in our hearts when we are offended that God blesses those we consider less faithful or righteous than us. When we compare ourselves to others and think we deserve more, we can become self-righteous. But in reality, we are all eleventh-hour workers when it comes to receiving God’s grace. We are all poor, sinful, and vulnerable. When we accept God’s radical generosity to us, we can become more grace-filled and generous to others. Our perspective shifts from a scarcity mentality to an abundance mentality, from worrying about what we have to making sure others have enough as well.

Prayer: Inhale slowly and pray, “Lord, thank you for your generosity to me.” Then exhale slowly and pray, “Help me to be generous to others.” Repeat this breath prayer several times, allowing it to become a meditation that you can return to.