Matthew 20:1-16
1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.
2 After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3 And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
4 and to them he said, 'You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.'
5 So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same.
6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, 'Why do you stand here idle all day?'
7 They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You go into the vineyard too.'
8 And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.'
9 And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius.
10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius.
11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house,
12 saying, 'These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.'
13 But he replied to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?
14 Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you.
15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?'
16 So the last will be first, and the first last."
I always get a bit riled up when I read this part of scripture. It really ticks me off that someone could live like the devil for 40 years and THEN start living for the LORD for a few years and get the same reward I get! How does that seem fair? Where is my "union boss" who protects me from discrimination?
But, then I am reminded of Isaiah 64:6 that say MY BEST is but filthy rags before a Holy GOD. A couple of verses later scripture points out that HE is the potter and I am just the clay. A potter may make and remake a piece of pottery many times until he works out ALL of the imperfections!
A WISE OLD MAN once told me that "We try to be MORE than GOD intended for us to be!" LORD, help me to be just what you desire me to be. No more, no less. I surrender to YOUR plan for my life!
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