When God Calls Us To Work In The Vineyard

Jesus tells a parable, recorded in Matthew 20:1-16, about a landowner who goes to the town square to hire day laborers to work in his vineyard. The landowner promises those hired at six in the morning the proper day’s wage. Every three hours he employs more workers and promises to pay them “What is right.” Finally, at five in the afternoon he finds more who need work and sends them to the vineyard as well; without promise of specific pay. Most of us know this story:  at the end of the work day, the laborers are called and paid, beginning with the last employed and ending with the first. All are paid the same, and those hired first are unhappy and feel they have been treated unfairly. The landowner reminds them that they received the agreed upon pay and that he has the right to be generous with what is his.

This is a story of Grace and The Kingdom of God. God invites us all into his Kingdom in different ways and at different times. Some of us are invited many times before we accept his invitation to “go into his vineyard.” When we (finally?) accept God’s invitation, we go, and work: without counting the cost and without expecting pay. However, we are paid generously. God pays us all the same, and the pay is much, much better than “a day’s wage!”

Our pay is Eternal Life, membership in the Kingdom of God, a relationship with God and God’s people forever. Oh, and an opportunity to invite others into God’s Kingdom, into the Vineyard. Our work in the Vineyard is to share the Good News and to become Co-Creators with God.

God’s Good News: While we were yet sinners, Jesus died for us; it is never too late to enter the Kingdom of God; Jesus came into the world that we (all) might have abundant life. We become Co-Creators with God by: feeding the hungry, clothing the naked; by setting the prisoners free: free from sin, drugs and alcohol addiction, poverty, unjust laws, discrimination, and free from hatred, anger, bitterness and fear.

Hatred, anger, bitterness and fear are a major problem in the world today. This was true in Jesus’ day as well. The workers in his parable were so afraid that others might get more than they received, more than they deserved. It was not fair, it just was not fair. And at times life isn’t fair. But, Jesus is telling a different story, giving the people of his day, and us, a different message. Jesus is preaching about Grace. He is telling and showing us that life is not a “zero sum game, that for me to win, it is not necessary for you to lose.” He is proclaiming a Gospel not of scarcity, but of abundance!

Jesus is proclaiming that your good education does not prevent a good education for me; that your having a living wage will not prevent me from having a living wage; and that my having health insurance will not prevent your having health insurance.

It does mean that we need to plug in to Jesus, that when He asks us to work in his Vineyard that we go! No matter what! That we use our God given gifts and talents to create more good jobs that pay people fairly. That we work to help find ways to insure all people justly and affordably. I know these things are not easy. I know that there are many people wiser than I, who are trying to make these things happen. Yes, it is not easy, but it is important. God cares about our souls, yes, but God also cares about our earthly, physical lives as well.

What can you and I do to make the Master’s Vineyard blossom and grow? We can learn to work together and play together. We can learn not to call people idiots, losers and worse when we disagree with them. We can write and call our Senators, House Members and others in government to thank and encourage them. It is important that we stay informed about the world and what is happening, but, please, let’s not watch and listen to the news all the time! It will make us crazy and angry. Get outside, disconnect: paddle a kayak, buy a pair of boots and find a trail, play a round of golf, go fishing or simply sit on a creek bank and open you mind and heart to the beauty and power of God’s creation.

As we live and move and have our being in God’s Kingdom, let’s give up grumbling, let’s learn to pray to God for guidance and wisdom and peace, and to learn how to talk with and listen to one another with understanding, respect and grace.

“But Jesus replied to one of them, friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Are you envious because I am generous?”

“So the last will be first and the first will be last.” Something to think about. . . .