“Or are you envious because I am generous?” Matthew 20:15
Do you ever think that God blesses the wrong people? The workers in the vineyard who worked all day seem to be hard-working, conscientious Christians. Yet they only received the standard payment. The other workers who did nothing for a good part of the day, who seemed to be a bit slack and less committed are rewarded with the same amount. Is this fair?
There are several things to consider. First, our perspective is earthbound. I don’t know what is going on in the hearts of those people who God chooses to bless more than others. I don’t know their attitudes, motives and often I don’t even know what is going on in their day to day lives.
Second, God is free to bless whoever he chooses, whenever he chooses, with whatever he chooses. Like the workers in the vineyard, God is free to pay them whatever he decides. God is Sovereign, he’s in charge.
While this parable may challenge my ideas of fairness, I also notice that God wasn’t being unfair since the workers who laboured all day were paid the agreed amount. They weren’t short-changed.
The parable also challenges my ideas on God’s goodness. Is God going to treat others better than he treats me? Is God going to have my best interests at heart or is he more interested in helping someone else? Yet God was good to all the workers. They all got paid.
This parable reminds me, like Jesus reminded Peter on the beach (John 21:21-22), to mind my own business. I have to follow God’s plans for my life and not concern myself with what God is doing in other people’s lives.
