Apparently, there was a time that if you wanted to find work – you went to the local Market place and waited there.
The earlier you got there – the better.
Later it was to the Guilds that you would go. Or, Labor Halls … or union halls…
I remember people looking up jobs in the WANT ADS of local newspapers… “Help Wanted.”
Today there are places like Staffing Solutions or Staffing Partners…that at least get your foot in the door.
I was amazed: today we boast of Part – Time jobs, Accounting Jobs, Engineering Jobs, Clerical and Administrative Jobs, Healthcare Jobs, Construction Jobs, IT Jobs, Transportation Jobs, and Marketing Jobs…Permanent Jobs…Service Industry Jobs…Hotel and Motel Jobs…
You can find, Work-From Home Jobs, Receptionist Jobs, Online Teaching Jobs, Medical and Dental Assisting Jobs, Delivery Jobs, Security Jobs and tons and tons of others…
Then there are the Head Hunters…and Manpower Jobs…
Today we turn to places like Job Hunt.com, or Monster. Com or Indeed.comor we attempt to find work through places like LinkedIn, today people are seeking work situations and solutions on Social Media…
Don’t forget the Driving Jobs, like Uber and LYFT…
And of course, you can always become self-employed and work for yourself! (But be careful because the self-employment tax will kill you!)
So, today we have this economic parable that is before us! It is only to be found in the Gospel of Matthew and comes from his very own private collection of materials called (M).
It is in an “unforgettable way” – Jesus taught – that life and salvation are gifts from God.
They are for all intents and purposes “pure gifts” which means that they are “unearned” and “undeserved.” They are completely unwarranted. This is grace at its best…at its finest.
Grace bestowed upon us.
We folks can be kind of funny sometimes. We can get some of the craziest ideas and notions into our heads.
There are plenty of us that think that salvation has to be earned through our good behavior…or by their long labor in the kingdom or by their right theology.
And then of course, we judge and put down others who disagree with us.
Ain’t we something!
You have to remember that this is a parable. It is a parable about the Kingdom of Heaven.
It was never meant to be a story about fairness and equity in the work place.
That unfortunately still has not happened.
Instead, it is just another in a long series of everyday popular stories that Jesus would have told, that the people could easily relate to…
Everyone was familiar with landowners, laborers and vineyards….these things were a common part of “everyday life” for the average person.
The grape industry was the most common source of work for people of that time and place.
And quite naturally, the laborers would be happy to be hired for a fair daily wage.
Obviously, there was a lot of work to be done in and around the vineyard seeing as the landowner went out at 6-9noon-3 and five o’ clock all in search of more laborers.
Those hired at 5:00 would be able to work for only one hour, but that was enough for them. These workers wanted to work – if even – only for an hour.
Now if you listen carefully, the owner does not pay the workers; the manager does.
“Holy Cow!” A full day’s wage for only an hour of work…this owner is really generous.
But others groaned and grumbled against the same guy and resented him…because they did not like his generosity.
If God is generous, what is that to you?
If the Lord God persistently chooses the humble and the poor and the downtrodden, people of low degree – rather than those who exalt themselves, what is that to you?
Will you be found envious, if our God is found to be generous? What if salvation does not have to be earned…or if you do not have to labor long in the kingdom or have the right-kind of theology? Will you be envious?