²⁷ Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get?”

…

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.”

Dear God, the worst part about chapter and verse designations is that is accidentally cuts up stories and we forget to read them as one. In this case, the beginning of chapter 20 is actually the continuation of the rich young man asking what he has to do to be saved and then Peter trying to justify himself and the other eleven disciples by saying how much they gave up for you. That’s when you give him some insight into the future, but you also tell this parable. The message: “Stop trying to justify yourself. Stop trying to pretend you are worth your wages. The wages you are getting is a gift and you could never earn how wonderful it is.” That’s how I read this anyway.

I have to tell you, I kind of have the glums this morning. In fact, maybe I’m feeling them because I feel unworthy of my wages. I was looking through scrapbooks yesterday from the nonprofit where I work. I found news stories and things that were written from 30 years ago when the founder was first following your call to help people. She is certainly a worker who walked into the field at the beginning of the day. What a remarkable person she is. Just remarkable. And so we have built on what she started. But to see the energy and vision she had was intimidating. What surprised me the most, I suppose, was how big their vision was. Everything they wanted to accomplish. And, frankly, we’ve done a lot of that. And the way they were working was not sustainable. they were working too frantically and chaotically to keep it going. What we are doing now is more…I guess the word I’m looking for is “paced.” We are at a pace that is sustainable. It’s hard to explain here, but I think you get where I’m coming from and what I’m trying to say.

Father, I am not worthy of my wages. And when I say wages, I mean what you do for me now, and what you will give to me later. Even if I was the most amazing Christian, husband, father, manager, etc. now, I still wouldn’t be worthy. Your wages are too great to ever be earned. Help me to be at peace in that and simply sink into worshipping you and loving others. Mold me today.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen