20 “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work.
3 “At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing. 4 So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. 5 So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing.
6 “At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’
7 “They replied, ‘Because no one hired us.’
“The landowner told them, ‘Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.’
8 “That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first. 9 When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage. 10 When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage. 11 When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, 12 ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’
13 “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? 14 Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. 15 Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’
16 “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”
Matthew 20:1-16
Dear God, as I look to parables and try to determine what you are revealing to us (me) about who you are and your character through what you told us about you, this one is one that definitely fits that mold. Anything that starts with, “The Kingdom Heaven is like…,” is teeing that concept up.
I think I just saw something new here that I’ve never seen before. I don’t know that I’ve ever really sat in your place and read this story. I’ve always read it from the laborers’ perspective. But I’m trying to learn something about you here.
What I just saw is that your original plan was for us to work all day: “Adam and Eve. Here you go. You’re hired. Go work. Live. Live with me. Commune with me.” And some did. Some work. But for the rest who rebel, you are having to make accommodations. Sacrifices (literally).
I heard someone recently talk about the pain in the Old Testament and the sometimes questionable calls you made with the Israelites pre-Jesus earthly birth. They said that none of this was your ideal and that you are spending much of the Old Testament triaging the situation and finding a path forward for them.
That’s what you do. You have spent human history pivoting to try to accommodate our foolishness and mercifully “hire” us into your family. You would just as soon have hired us at the beginning of the day. But some of us weren’t there. Some of us weren’t ready. We didn’t set our alarm to get there on time. We decided to run a few selfish errands first.
Interestingly, this parable is actually a continuation of a story from chapter 19. It’s unfortunate there is a chapter break here because Matthew tells us this parable in conjunction with Matthew 19:16-30:
16 Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher,[f] what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”
17 “Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep[g] the commandments.”
18 “Which ones?” the man asked.
And Jesus replied: “‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. 19 Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’[h]”
20 “I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?”
21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 24 I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”
25 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.
26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”
27 Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get?”
28 Jesus replied, “I assure you that when the world is made new[i] and the Son of Man[j] sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.[
So the context of this parable isn’t that it’s easy to get into the Kingdom of Heaven. The context is the statement by Jesus that “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God.” That seems to be the opposite except for how Jesus answers their question, “Then who in the world can be saved?” He says, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” Then he goes into all of the throne stuff and judging the twelve tribes of Israel. He mentions the honoring of those who sacrifice even family for you, and then concludes with the “least important now will be the greatest then.” And then he starts the parable with, “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner…”
This describes you as being…well, incomprehensible. I almost said, “nuanced,” but that word seemed to simple. All I can really tell from this is that you are absolutely evaluating each person differently than I evaluate them. You are always waiting for that person who is ready to come to you and establish relationship with you. Even if I leave the field in the middle of the day, there is a pretty good chance you’ll hire me with the last shift.
Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, I am so grateful for the mystery that is you. I’m so glad you don’t play by my rules. I’m glad you don’t have history unfold the way I would have it unfold. I’m sorry you are still having to triage our world. I’m sorry I didn’t hire on at the beginning of the day to serve you longer. I’m sorry that sometimes I wander off the job. Thank you for the grace you show me.
I pray all of this in the name of Jesus,
Amen
Emails to God 
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