Living in the Spirit

September 30, 2023

Scripture Reading: Matthew 20:1-16
‘For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the market-place; and he said to them, “You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. 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?” They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You also go into the vineyard.” 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.” When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 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 the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?” So the last will be first, and the first will be last.’

I more and more think that we each, having been created in the image of God, have unique skills and talents that are necessary for our reaching the interdependence to be One in Christ. It is also not only necessary for each of us to become the best we can be; we must also enable all others to become the best people they were created to be. Yes, if you wonder what these thoughts have to do with this scripture, the simple answer is not much. The more I thought about it, though, the more I realized that our reward as Christ-followers is not a personal achievement but mastering the perfection of molding together all to be One, and that includes the people who woke up early and recognized this calling and the ones who arrived later in the day.

Prayer: Lord, give us the gift of being the best we can be in the Oneness of all people being the best we all can be together as One. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.