The Vineyard Workers

2.2.13 

Have you heard about the vineyard workers? It's a story I have skipped over many times, but this week it finally clicked for me. So here is a paraphrase: 

Early in the morning, a man goes to town to hire some people to work his vineyard. After negotiating their pay, several agree to come and work for the day. A few hours later he makes another trip into town and hires some more. He does this several more times throughout the day, up until sunset when he recruits a few more men who are just hanging around town.

When the work day is over, he calls in all the men and begins handing out paychecks. But here's the thing: they were all paid the same-- the guys who started at sunrise and the guys who started at sunset. Understandably, the ones who worked all day were upset, even though they were paid what they had agreed upon with the vineyard owner that morning. 

"But it's not fair," they grumbled. 

The owner responded, "I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?"

So why did Jesus tell this story? It is actually a response to the disciples' entitlement-loaded question, "We left everything to follow you! What will there be for us?" And there I see myself.

God calls us to be his, not because he needs us, but because he wants to show his grace to us. Do you think by the 11th hour the vineyard owner really needed more workers? (That's 5 pm.) Probably not. But he called them because he wanted to be generous, give them meaningful work, and bless them beyond what they deserved. That is so incredibly humbling.

We often identify with the wrong party here, resonating with how the early workers were "cheated." But I am not the one who worked all day and got paid what I agreed upon; I am the one who showed up at sunset and got paid a whole day's wages. Not because he needed my help, but because he saw me standing there alone, directionless.

Grace.

It has nothing to do with what I've done for him, and everything to do with what he's done for me. Sometimes I get mixed up and think that I am going to Africa to serve God and accomplish something great in his name. Then I remember, he is already there, he has many people serving him, and he definitely doesn't need my help. But he invites me to come, to be a part of what he is doing, and receive a gift I don't deserve, because that is his character. Amazing.

***

The day I journaled about this truth from Matthew 20 was also the day I found out I would be going to Botswana. I had no idea what that meant at the time, but I have constantly been reminded that I am here only because of his grace! The last one of my orientation group to hit the field, joining an awesome team in a country I knew nothing about until a week before I landed. Sometimes I wonder why the Lord has me here, when the national believers know how to reach fellow students in this culture much better than I do and will be here longer than I will. Then I am reminded: His grace. My faithfulness to obey. That's all he asks. 

Here I am, Lord!