Jesus told a story to illustrate a point that we don’t usually think about when we start off a new year.  It is the parable of the workers in the vineyard found in Matthew 20. The parable where all are paid the same even though the first workers were hired earlier in the day and worked longer. It is a parable that for the most of my life I didn’t like much. I skipped over it and went on reading. 

Our trouble with the parable is that it challenges our innate understanding of fairness.  God made us this way. He designed us with a strong sense of what is just. This is not a bad thing in the running of a business and an economy, but when you are running an ultimate reality and crushing the head of the serpent Satan who is set on destroying mankind. Jesus knows better. He knows our sense of petty fairness can lead all of us dangerously astray.

One of the things that keeps us disconnected from God in this busy and distracted world is that we think we have missed the boat. We have been given a different path. A path that has not included Jesus, and if we change paths now, our life will have been wasted. We have to admit to a sometimes cruel and judging public that we were wrong. But in this parable, Jesus is telling of a reality that is destroying an evil that can imprison ourselves, our family, and our friends whom we love. Jesus is saying that we can be wrong about him for years and years. All who call upon his name will be rewarded with the same unfathomable gift.

No one ever has to say it is too late for me, and I have missed my opportunity for “Christian reward.” I will have to settle for at least good recognition, positive opinions of my effort, by my fellow travelers on my wrong path where I am admired. I may be wrong, but at least I won’t have to take the last seat left. No one ever has to say, I climbed the ladder to the wrong wall in life and realized it was the wrong wall and now all is over. No one ever has to say, I guess it is just too late. Jesus just wasn’t for me. Jesus has destroyed Satan’s trap with the truth of this parable. All are saved to the same great salvation. All are saved by believing and calling on his name and without any merit of our own.

This year let us cast off the shackles of believing that Jesus is done calling workers to the vineyard. That our friends, family, even our enemies have missed their chance, and we will be leaping into heaven first and proud. Yes, the Bible says there will be rewards for good works done by his faithful servants in his name. Jesus will take care of those who love him. But even if Jesus did not promise rewards, who cares? Do we think for one moment that in a Heaven, without pride or limits, lead by a righteous loving king we will say that we wish we had spent more time in this world picking through the garbage dump at Vanity Fair? 

Let us all rejoice together in our great and amazing salvation. Jesus has come to save all who he has chosen, and he has commanded us to joyfully bring this good news to all who will listen and put aside the distractions of this life. To put our time and energy on this, is the best new year’s resolution ever.

Doug

The words of British poet Robert Abrahams say it well, “For some men die by shrapnel, And some go down in flames, But most men perish inch by inch, In play at little games.”  Our goal is to identify the little games and put a stop to them and put the right weight on the right things.