We want what we have earned (Day Laborers in the vineyard Matthew 20:1-16)

We want what we have earned (Day Laborers in the vineyard Matthew 20:1-16)

I work in an environment where men are vocal about pay discrepancies, they want to make sure they are getting paid what they expect to be paid. In the mining industry, it is common for someone who is working in one position to complain that they don’t make as much money as someone working in a different position on the same section as them. For instance, shuttle car operators traditionally get paid less then roof bolt operators who in turn are paid less then miner men who make less than the electrician. All four positions working on the same section side by side in the same conditions for the same amount of time, yet some are getting paid more than others and it never sets easy with the one making the lesser money. We inherently tie our value to the reward we receive for our work. So, a shuttle car operator feels as if he is valued less than a miner man by the company because he is paid less yet his job is just as vital to getting coal on the belt line. Any time men at the mines hear that another mining company gave a pay raise to its employees they immediately feel they are no longer receiving fair compensation for the work they were doing because others was getting paid more to do the same job. The parable of the day laborers lets us know that God does not work the same way our economy does and that He values all His creation equally.

In this parable, the workers who labored all day in the hot sun got the same pay as the individuals who only worked for a single hour. God is not a respecter of persons, and the gift eternal life is a promise that is made to each one of us if we accept it. It doesn’t matter if we gave our life to God as a child or minutes before we take our last breath, Heaven is our reward. God promised eternal life to all who accept His Son Jesus as their Lord and Savior regardless of when we made the decision. The creator of the heavens and the earth standards may not fit well in our current workplaces but I for one am happy that God has not placed limitations or restrictions on eternal life based upon our performance in this life. The same reward is available to all who repent of their sins, make Jesus the Lord of their life by applying His teaching to their life.