Matthew 20:1-16
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.
After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place; and to them he said, `You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went.
Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same.
And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing; and he said to them, `Why do you stand here idle all day?’
They said to him, `Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, `You go into the vineyard too.’
And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, `Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’
And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius.
Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius.
And on receiving it they grumbled at the householder, saying, `These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, `Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you, and go; I choose to give to this last as I give to you.
Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ So the last will be first, and the first last.”
Homily:
Comparison is worthless.
Some have loved and obeyed God since they were children, some in their youth, some in adulthood, some at old age, and some on their dying bed or dying cross. The longer your journey with God, the less your despair on earth, but no matter when you start your journey with Him, He embraces you warmly, because He has loved you from the beginning.
Stop beating yourself up on why you did not draw closer to God yesterday or why you have departed from his path today or how a person like you that has betrayed Him so much can ever be accepted back in future. Remember the words of Jesus in the moment of the worst kind of humiliation – “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” It was an eternal prayer of intercession for you and I.
You can start that journey with God now. Go to Him and ask for a role in His vineyard.
Please read Luke 15 for further understanding.