This parable got me to thinking. That’s not necessarily a good thing! I started thinking about the issue of “pay inequity.” You know, women being paid less than men for the same jobs… So, I did a Google.
What I found first, was a series of questions- that sounded more like justification to me…
Are women paid less than men – because they choose “lowering paying jobs?”
I mean, “Who chooses” lower paying jobs? Come on now…
Then the question was raised: Is it because women work “more part time jobs then men do?”
I want to know about apples to apples…not apples to oranges!
Or, is it because: Women have “more care- giving responsibilities” then men?
Shouldn’t we have equal care-giving responsibilities? I mean, shouldn’t we?
I get it – I realize that inequity abounds…
So, I continued to search…
Did you know that in the year 2016, women working “full time” in the United States typically were paid just “80 percent” of what men were paid, a gap of some 20 percent?
The gap has narrowed since the 1970s, due largely to women’s progress “in education” and “workforce participation” and to men’s wages rising at “a slower rate.”
Still, the pay gap DOES NOT appear likely to go away on its own.
At the rate of change between 1960 and 2016, women are expected to reach pay equity with men in the year “2059.” Woo Hoo!
But even “that slower progress” has “stalled” in recent years.
If change continues at the “slower rate”- “seen since 2001,” then, women WILL NOT reach pay equity with men until the year 2119. Yikes, that’s a little scary!
Apples for apples-pay equity met in the year 2119. Nice!
We have all heard about CEO “rising salaries”- so I looked and found out that in the tax year 2015 across “all companies” – the average CEO salary was paid $13.8 million dollars a year.
The average median-worker for that same time period earned about $77,800.
That means that CEO’s were paid 204 times MORE than what the average worker was making. Pay inequity…abounds…I tell you!!!
The parable as told by Jesus sounds “as unfair” to our ears, every bit as much as it sounded – unfair – to those who heard Jesus say these words 2,000 years ago.
Pay in-equity stinks.
Pay equity is what we should be all about.
But then I realized that this parable would only seem to be “unfair” – IF – you were only looking out – for yourself first…and for your own self –interest.
Supposing, just supposing… what if our concern was “for someone else” to get ahead?
What if – that – was the only thing in your mind and on your heart?
Then, this parable would be amazing.
It would be wonderful.
It would be exciting. It would be so cool!
Someone else was really-truly-getting a break, and it would appear…that someone else was finally in the position to get ahead.
So then I was wondering…what it would take for us to cheer for those “last workers” who came in – even as the bulk of the job was completed.
Yay them…
So what if they came in when everybody else was cleaning up?
They could help with the clean up as well! Wouldn’t they be welcome?
What would it actually take for us to “whoop” and “holler” when their check was “just as big” – as everyone else’s?
Isn’t that where are hearts should be?
What would it take for us to get there?
What would it take for us to go there?
It would take us having the mindset of God!
Here’s the thing. Remember this parable is not about the worker, per se. The parable as told by Jesus is meant to be about God’s Kingdom.
When it comes to the Kingdom of God – there is only one prize. That one prize being – getting in – and being in God’s presence FOREVER…
There is no “consolation prize.”
There is no second “runner up.” There are no gold, silver or bronze medallions to be passed out. All of us are God’s children. All of us are laborers in his vineyard. The length of our commitment is not important. What is important – is that we belong to HIM! Amen.