Parables of Laborers in the vineyard
Matthew 20:1-16
Do you know anyone who is entitled? My guess is that someone came to mind. It’s not too difficult to think of someone in our life who we feel is selfish or prideful. Someone who just rubs us the wrong way because we feel that they can only think of themselves (of course, this is a less than gracious assumption that stems from our own bitter hearts).
Let’s ask another question: are you entitled? Your knee-jerk reaction is likely a hard “no.” The word “entitlement” is a buzzword competing with “narcissism” right now. No one thinks they are entitled, but everyone thinks they know an entitled person. Entitlement is the belief that one is inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment. The scriptures would call this belief “pride,” and it lives in all of us to some degree. In our text for today, Jesus shows us how this entitlement can rear its head and points us to the unchanging truth that God shows no partiality to those in His kingdom.
The landowner, who represents God in this teaching, invites three groups of people to come labor in His vineyard. Just as God invites all people to repent, believe, and work in His Kingdom, so this landowner invites people with no work to find their purpose and livelihood in his vineyard.
After a day's work, how does the first group respond when they get their wages? Entitlement. They grumble when they receive their reward and compare their work to the work of others. In their pride, they believe they should get special treatment. They take the landowners' generosity towards others as a personal attack, rather than an expression of love and care for the other workers.
Have you ever felt this way? Maybe you’ve been following Jesus for a long time. Maybe you’ve sacrificed a ton. Maybe you’ve given up the most precious thing in your life to follow Jesus and invest in His Kingdom. How do you feel when other people, who you don’t think have sacrificed as much, receive blessings? How do you feel when their life looks easy? How do you feel about the fact that God loves the person who hurt you, did you wrong, and sinned against you just as much as he loves you?
This belief that we deserve special treatment because of our efforts leads to envy, anger, and jealousy. We become like the vineyard worker who gets their reward and grumbles against the landowner. Comparison and pride lead us to grumble against our creator and become bitter toward His children.
God’s Kingdom is an upside-down Kingdom. God’s grace just doesn’t seem fair sometimes. All people who humbly receive Jesus’ grace and enter the Kingdom are guaranteed the reward of eternal life with God. This eternal kingdom is not some far-off place, but it is accessible right now through the Holy Spirit and its relationship with Christ. All who receive this grace, no matter what they have done or haven’t done, receive this reward. This is the love of God that is available to all with no partiality.
It is human nature to feel entitled to special treatment. To want to receive more. To compare. To be envious when we could be celebrating the blessings and grace other people receive.
Jesus says in John 6, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” Let us battle our pride and entitlement by remembering that Jesus promises that we have enough when we trust Him. Never does he promise a just or easy life here on Earth. But he does promise that all who come to Him will have the fullness of life (John 10:10). All of God’s children will receive their inheritance through Christ, and that is good news. In the Kingdom of God, there is no partiality.
Take a moment to reflect on the following questions. Bring the feelings and thoughts that come up to God in prayer.
Who are you jealous of? Who do you compare yourself to? Why?
In what situations do you tend to act or think in an entitled manner?
Is there a situation where you need to receive God’s overflowing grace?
