Lord Reign In Me

The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard

For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went.

He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?'

'Because no one has hired us,' they answered.

He said to them, 'You also go and work in my 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 the eleventh hour 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. 'These men 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.'

But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'

So the last will be first, and the first will be last.

Every Wednesday night for the past few weeks, I've been attending a course on Christian Witness in an Age of Globalisation at Trinity Theological College. The only exception being last Wednesday, when I was in Bangkok. Sadly, man can't physically be at two places at once.

In every class that I've been to, Dr Kwa (our lecturer) started off with a devotional. Which was a little strange to me at first. Since the classes were rather similar to the tutorials I attended (or skipped) back when I was in school. And having a devotional in a tutorial just wasn't done in school. But, I quickly got used to the devotionals. And I even enjoyed them.

Last night, the text of the devotional was from Matthew 20:1-16. If you haven't already realised it, I've done you the favour of placing the parable at the top of this post :)

This text reflects one of the struggles I face in this world. God's kingdom is not going to be like the world at all. If anything, it seems God's kingdom is going to be the opposite of the world. "So the last will be first, and the first will be last."

There are many times when I catch myself comparing with others and silently complaining about the workers that have worked less hours than me. I can be really judgemental. And I can see the influence that the world has on me. The meritocracy system that my country has, is very much a part of me. No matter how much I may detest it. I want to be rewarded according to the good work I have done. And if the reward is going to be the same for everyone, than everyone jolly well put in the same effort that I've put in.

But God says in this text, 'I know what you need. One denarius is enough for the day. Be satisfied.' And I trust that God knows what's best for us. And it is by His grace that we even get a denarius in the first place.

When God comes into our focus, then the things of earth will grow strangely dim...