Tuesday, June 25, 2024  

Today's Scripture
Matthew 20:1–16

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. 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?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ 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.’ When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 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.’ 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? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (NRSV)

Reflection

Do you love your first child more than your youngest? Do you give more blessings and gifts to your oldest grandchild than the youngest? Is the amount of love you give friends and family proportionate to the amount of time you’ve known them?

This parable might be difficult to understand when looking at the wages as money, but try looking at the wages as love instead of money. God is the vineyard owner, and God receives us into the vineyard with equal love. God doesn’t love us more because we’ve been believers longer.

We are all God’s children and loved equally whether we worked in God’s vineyard for fifty years or just started last week. Something we need to remember: in God’s family, all God’s children are loved and blessed abundantly.

Prayer
Lord, I ask for your help in learning to love others as you love me. May your love inspire me to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Written by Linda Gibboney, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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