Last week in my Bible Study, we briefly talked about the
story of the Laborers in the Vineyard.
I’ll let you read the story for yourself.
The Laborers in the Vineyard
"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage,[a] he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4 and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. 5 When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. 6 And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ 8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ 9 When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage.[b] 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage.[c] 11 And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 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 the usual daily wage?[d] 14 Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’[e] 16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”[f]
When I first read this, I definitely did not take this story the way it should be taken. It actually made me angry! How is it even fair for one person to work from dawn until dusk, and receive the same amount of wages as someone who only worked an hour or two?! In fact, I had a personal experience very similar to this story.
There is a girl in my office, who had some personal things going on, and was allowed to work less than the standard 8 hours a day for what I am assuming was her regular salary. It drove me crazy because I would be busy, stressed, and usually working at least a moderate amount of overtime. And, my co-worker would waltz in later in the morning, take a full lunch, and waltz out early without a care in the world. Or, so it seemed, anyway. After much personal evaluation, I realized that I was getting angry and resentful, simply because it didn’t seem fair.
But, the lesson from this story is that no matter how old we are, and no matter what things we’ve done in our past, we can always start living God’s Word, and change our lives. Those called last, have the same access to God's Kingdom, as those chosen first.
So, if there is something you would like to start doing, start it! Or, if you feel like you’re too far gone, or it’s too late to change… don’t believe that lie you’re telling yourself. It’s not too late.
You can do it!
I’ll let you read the story for yourself.
The Laborers in the Vineyard
"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage,[a] he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4 and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. 5 When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. 6 And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ 8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ 9 When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage.[b] 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage.[c] 11 And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 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 the usual daily wage?[d] 14 Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’[e] 16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”[f]
When I first read this, I definitely did not take this story the way it should be taken. It actually made me angry! How is it even fair for one person to work from dawn until dusk, and receive the same amount of wages as someone who only worked an hour or two?! In fact, I had a personal experience very similar to this story.
There is a girl in my office, who had some personal things going on, and was allowed to work less than the standard 8 hours a day for what I am assuming was her regular salary. It drove me crazy because I would be busy, stressed, and usually working at least a moderate amount of overtime. And, my co-worker would waltz in later in the morning, take a full lunch, and waltz out early without a care in the world. Or, so it seemed, anyway. After much personal evaluation, I realized that I was getting angry and resentful, simply because it didn’t seem fair.
But, the lesson from this story is that no matter how old we are, and no matter what things we’ve done in our past, we can always start living God’s Word, and change our lives. Those called last, have the same access to God's Kingdom, as those chosen first.
So, if there is something you would like to start doing, start it! Or, if you feel like you’re too far gone, or it’s too late to change… don’t believe that lie you’re telling yourself. It’s not too late.
You can do it!
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