Fair Wage
Matthew 20:1-16
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who went out at daybreak to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the workers on a wage of one denarius, [the standard daily wage,] he sent them off to his vineyard. 3 Then, on going out at about nine in the morning, he saw more men standing around in the market-square doing nothing, 4 and said to them, ‘You go to the vineyard too — I’ll pay you a fair wage.’ So they went. 5 At noon, and again around three in the afternoon, he did the same thing. 6 About an hour before sundown, he went out, found still others standing around, and asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day, doing nothing?” 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ ‘You too,’ he told them, ‘go to the vineyard.’
8 “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last ones hired and ending with the first.’ 9 The workers who came an hour before sunset each received a denarius, 10 so the workers who came first expected they would get more, but each of them also received just a denarius. 11 On receiving their wages, they began grumbling to the farmer, 12 ‘These latecomers have worked only one hour, while we have borne the brunt of the day’s work in the hot sun, yet you have put them on an equal footing with us!’ 13 But he answered one of them, ‘Look, friend, I’m not being unfair with you. Didn’t you agree to work today for a denarius? 14 Now take your pay and go! I choose to give the last worker as much as I’m giving you. 15 Haven’t I the right to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ 16 Thus the last ones will be first and the first last.”
This is a longer passage, but it must be kept together. It is a full parable that Jesus used to teach His followers. Because we need to look at the "whole story" it is a bit longer read.
I wrote a blog for Restored Ministries that I titled "Heat." I used a verse from this parable because it says, "We have borne the brunt of the day's work in the hot sun..."
When the heat is on, what do you do? Some people retreat, and some walk right in. In this story, people grumbled because of what happened in the middle of the heat.
The workers were hired to work. They were promised a certain amount of money. The first group hired were told what they were going to earn. The last groups were told, "a fair wage."
When the day ended, this farmer chose to pay those who arrived last the same as those who were hired first. Those hired first saw this and were upset. They had worked sooooo hard in the "heat of the day" and they didn't think it was fair that those who came later received the same amount.
I hear this among my children. "Why does she get something now? I had to wait until I was older before I was able to do that." "It isn't fair" they say.
In the Kingdom of God, we must understand that those who BELIEVE in Him will ALL receive eternal life. It doesn't matter if you believe in Him at age 10, or age 100. When you make that choice to follow Him, you LIVE. The blessing for choosing to LISTEN to HIM is LIFE.
It is interesting to note that the farmer went out to the village to look who was there. He went searching. He found people standing around.
We are told in the Word that God "searches for us."
Ezekiel 34:11
“‘For here is what AdonaiElohim says: “I am taking over! I will search for my sheep and look after them, myself.
Luke 19:10
For the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost.”
He is searching for YOU. He is looking in the marketplace for those who will be a part of His Kingdom. He is asking YOU if you want to "partner with Him." That is a more modern version, but... The partnership brings blessings.
Today, as you are living life, ask yourself if HE is calling you. Is He in the marketplace looking for you? Is He there asking you to be His worker? If you choose to follow HIM, He will give you a "fair wage." That "fair wage" will be a blessing for eternity.
Love and blessings,
Rose
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