Before I began working in vocational ministry, I had a job in a hospital. I enjoyed the work and was earning more income than I ever had up to that point in my life. I was very satisfied with my position until one day I learned that people in another department with similar duties were making more money than I was. As I looked more closely, I learned that they had less responsibility. Suddenly, my position which had been quite satisfactory, was no longer acceptable. I now strongly believed that I should be making more money.
What changed? My financial obligations were no different. My work responsibilities had not been increased. However, the value I now placed on my work was no longer about me, but I started judging it by how I compared to other people.
Although this level of comparison may have some validity when determining our compensation in the workplace, it has no merit when we consider our standing in the Kingdom of God.
As we continue our discussion of the teaching of Jesus concerning our interactions in this life, we come to an important parable in Matthew 20:1-16. He again begins this instruction with the phrase, “The kingdom of heaven is like…” This is a reminder that as we journey through this life, our decisions and expectations need to remain focused on the opportunities and expectations God has promised for our eternity with him.
In the story referenced above, Jesus tells of a man looking for day laborers for his vineyard. He hires a group at the beginning of the day and promises them a denarius for their work. He then realizes he needs more help. At the 3rd hour, he goes back and hires more. This is repeated at the 6th hour, the 9th, and the 11th hours as well. The last men hired worked only an hour. At the end of the day, everyone received the exact same amount of pay for their work.
This did not sit well with those who worked all day. They argued that they deserved more since those who only worked an hour had been paid the same as they. However, the landowner reminds them that they received everything that they had been promised.
Jesus is making this point. As citizens of God’s Kingdom who live in this sinful world, we must keep our focus on what God has promised us for eternity. Regardless of our place in this life, we will all spend eternity in the glorious presence of God.
This life has times when it seems unfair. We may pour our lives into service for our Lord and still find our life to have struggles and pain. On the other hand, we may see people who appear to have an easy life who have no obvious desire to sacrifice for the cause of Christ. When the circumstance of this life run through the hands of God, his purposes are beyond our understanding. What he is allowing in our lives may be shaping us for greater use in the kingdom. Therefore, all that should be important to us is the end game, the fulfillment of God’s promised eternity.
The Apostle Paul reveals this attitude in Philippians 3:13-14, Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Is this life fair? Not always. Is God just? Absolutely! I must keep my eyes up!