You have made them equal to us. (Matthew 20:12)
The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard is best understood when read in the context of its two bookend passages: 18:1-5 and 20:20-28. In the former passage the disciples ask Jesus, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? (18:1) In the latter, the mother of James and John lobbies Jesus for her sons to be given the highest places of honor in his kingdom.
In our story higher seniority workers, who think they deserve more pay than those with less time on the job, grumble against the landowner: You have made them equal to us.
Matthew also includes the story of the unmerciful servant who has been forgiven a great debt, but is unwilling to forgive a friend a small debt (18:23-34). The moral is: I’m the one who has been forgiven the larger debt. How could I possibly hold anything against another?
If my life has been changed by grace, I won’t be worrying about the reward someone else receives. I won’t hold a grudge because I know the little thing I’m upset about is nothing compared to that for which God has already forgiven me! A life changed by grace doesn’t keep score because it knows it would lose.
If I spent the rest of my life extending grace to others, I could never give as much grace as I have received.
Would you be offended if someone else received a greater reward than you?
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