Sunday, September 20, 2026 — Matthew 20:1-16
1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4 and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So, they went. 5 When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. 6 And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ 8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ 9 When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 11 And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12 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.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 14 Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
We all want what’s fair. And we’ve always believed in the principle of fairness. From our earliest years of life, we’re taught to ‘play fair’ when engaging in games and contests with one another. We’re taught not to cheat — to not take an unfair advantage when taking tests, whether they be tests of our intellect or tests of our physical abilities (sports) — not cheating or playing fair is the rule of the day. Even after we’ve aged and moved into the marketplace of work, we want what’s fair. We want a ‘fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work’. We want to be fairly compensated financially for what we offer to our employer in labor. That’s why unions were created — to argue on behalf of the laborers for fair pay. And there have been entire movements in this nation and the world with the voices of people crying out for fairness in justice, and how they are treated by systems of politics, race, gender and basic freedoms. But clearly, we have a different idea of fairness in our world of understanding. If we feel we’ve been cheated, we’re likely to raise our voice in protests, especially if we’re on the losing end. We’re less likely to raise our voices in protest if the other side loses because of cheating.
But God has a different way of looking at fairness. God’s way looks at fairness through the lens of God’s love to determine what is fair and what is not. In God’s system of fairness, we can be confident that we will always get what God has promised us. Some may even receive more than God has promised, but ‘the more’ that we receive is always non-negotiable and is given at God’s discretion. And because what’s fair is issued from a place of Godly love, we can be absolutely, positively certain that it will be fair based on God’ generosity and not our miscalculated expectations.
- How does your concept of fairness differ from the idea of fairness posed by God?
- In what ways does your idea of fairness replicate God’s way of rewarding people?
Todays Prayer
Today’s Prayer —
Gracious God, help me to understand that my reward for a life lived in service to You is based solely on the fairness that exists because of Your generous grace.
