Jesus teaches about God's system of rewards
From the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 20, verses 1-16
Jesus and his disciples were very, very busy. Everyday they went from one town to another, teaching people about God and healing everyone who was sick. Peter, one of his disciples, was really tired. "We were your first followers. We left everything – our families, our friends, our work – to be with you, Jesus, and to help you do your work. I figure God's going to be really grateful. What a reward we'll get someday!"
Jesus told this parable to describe how God rewards people.
"The kingdom of heaven is like a man who owned a vineyard – a field full of grapes. The vineyard was too big for him to take care of all by himself. He needed help! So one morning, just as the sun was coming up, he found some people who wanted to help him. He agreed to pay each of them $100, the normal daily work rate, if they worked all day in his field. The workers were happy to do that and went off to work in the vineyard.
"The owner went home and had breakfast. Around 9:00 in the morning he went to the market. There he saw some people hanging around. 'Why aren't you working?' he asked them.''We don't have jobs,' they told him. 'Well, I'll pay you to work in my vineyard,' the owner said. The people were happy to work, and headed off to the vineyard.
"The man did his errands in the market, headed home, and had lunch. Realizing he had forgotten to do something, he went back to the marketplace around noon. Again, he saw people hanging around with nothing to do. He hired them to work in his vineyard. 'I'll pay you at the end of the day,' he told them, as they headed off.
"At 3:00 in the afternoon, and again at 5:00, the man went back to the market. (This guy was getting a lot of exercise that day, don't you think?) Each time he found people with nothing to do. 'Go to my vineyard and work for the rest of the day,' he said. 'I'll pay you at the end of the day.' And off they headed.
"The day was coming to an end. It was beginning to get dark. The owner went to his vineyard. "It's time to stop working for the day," he called out. "Let me pay all of you what I owe you." The workers lined up to get their money.
"The man who owned the vineyard gave $100 to every single person in that line.
"Those who had been working in the vineyard since dawn thought that they would get more money than those who had come at different times during the day. When they saw that the vineyard owner was giving the same amount to everyone, they began to grumble. 'It's not fair! We've been out here all day long under the hot sun.'
"The man who owned the vineyard said, 'Friends, I am doing you no wrong. Didn't you agree to work for the usual daily rate? You've got your money. Take it and go! I can do whatever I want with my money. I want to give the same amount to those who came last as I gave to you who were first. How can you be mad when I am so generous?' "
That was the end of Jesus' story. He looked at Peter. "In God's kingdom, the last will be first, and the first will be last."
Questions to think and pray about:
What do you think about Jesus' parable? What is your favorite part?
How do you think Peter felt after he heard it?
Have you ever felt like something in your life was not fair? What did you do or say about that?
Have you ever been in a situation where you got more good things than you felt you deserved? How did that make you feel?
How are you generous toward other people?
What do you think life in God's kingdom is like?