Kingdom Economics

Pray

Loving Lord, in sorrows and anguish, in life and in death, You are with me. That is enough.

Read

MATTHEW 20:1-16

^[1] For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. ^[2] And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. ^[3] And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, ^[4]And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. ^[5] Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. ^[6] And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? ^[7] They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. ^[8] So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. ^[9] And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. ^[10] But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. ^[11] And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, ^[12] Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. ^[13]But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? ^[14] Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. ^[15] Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? ^[16] So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. 

Scripture quotations taken from the King James Version, Public Domain

Meditate

Consider: "Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me" (John Newton, 1725-1807).

Think Further:

"It's not fair!" Imagine the media frenzy: the employee who works one hour is paid the same as those who do the same job all day. Kingdom economics, however, are different: "The last will be first" (16). This very Jewish story builds on Jesus' previous teaching: God's bias to the poor and lowly (14) and his overwhelming generosity and grace (15; Eph. 2:8), which do not depend on what we do but on who he is.

Peter's question, "What then will there be for us?" (Matt. 19:27),  shows that he hasn't yet understood that God's kingdom doesn't work on a consumer model. Jesus tells this story in response. In those times, workers without permanent jobs would stand in the marketplace available for work. In this story, the landowner agrees the usual day's wage with the first people he employs (2). Subsequently, he simply says, "I'll pay you whatever is right" (4). Those who started work later probably assumed they'd be getting less, especially those hired at 5 pm whom no one else had wanted all day. The ones who'd worked through the heat of the day certainly thought so (12)! Imagine their surprise when, having seen the last employed being given a denarius, they were then given the same (10).

It seems wrong. I have been serving God all my life--yet God welcomes the person who has ignored him most of their lives with the same generous grace as me (Luke 23:39-43)! Kingdom economics don't depend on anything we can do. This story upends our understanding of what is right and just (4; 13-15). Jesus wants our lives to be characterized by his grace, which attributes dignity and worth to those our society (we?) may regard as lowly, ignorant and unworthy. Yes, in the kingdom, before God our King, we are all equal (12).

Apply

What does this parable teach us about ourselves? What does it teach us about God's generous grace?

Pray

Merciful God, sometimes I get things mixed up. Help me to accurately see my life through Your eyes.