“For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work. [Matthew 20.1-2]
What is "fair"?
Who determines what is fair?
As much as I think I would be disappointed too if I were one of the workers hired early in the day, there really and truly is no recourse for my chagrin other than to simply not show up to work for this particular vineyard owner the next day.
At the end of the day (literally), it is not really the vineyard owner's call as to what he pays each individual. On the contrary, it is what the vineyard owner and the worker agreed upon before the onset of the work!
But wait! The vineyard owner only agreed upon wages with the early workers. The story makes no mention of any compensation agreement with the late workers!
This parable presents a lot of challenges!
Here is what I take from it. If there is no agreement in place, then the compensation for the work done was solely at the discretion of the vineyard owner. Period.
The thing about this parable however is that the last shall be first and the first shall be last. It seems a simple concept, but in real life, it is not easily understood!
Father, give me some insight into this concept!
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