Astounding
Grace
Read Matthew 20:1-16
The vineyard owner said, "Friend,
I am doing you no wrong.... I
choose to give to this last the
same as I give to you."
-Matthew 20: 13-14
MY neighbor found
the parable of the laborers in the
vineyard confusing because it
pictures God as unfair, and that
cannot be true. I reminded her
that the story is a parable, not
to be read literally. Besides, the
parable does not depict the
landowner, who represents God,
acting unfairly. The landowner's
unconventional fairness teaches us
how God treats us. Grace does not
fit our usual ideas of justice.
God's divine
economy surprises and challenges
us. We seek to thrive economically
through competition and merit.
Generally, we speak of fair wages
and assume a person should receive
only what he or she earns. In our
human economy, grace appears
impractical, odd. Yet the parable
teaches that God chooses to give
us more than we deserve -- for
that is God's nature.
This idea
challenges us as much as it did
those who first heard Jesus speak
it. We are challenged to
appreciate the unconditional
nature of God's kindness to
everyone and to cooperate in the
divine economy of giving more good
than people deserve. We do this by
approaching our relationships with
the grace given through Christ. We
who follow him have been entrusted
with sharing God's overflowing
generosity, lavishing kindness on
everyone.
Brian K. Wilcox (Florida, USA)
Dear God, help us to be gracious
in difficult situations. Let us
show your lavish grace in all we
do. Amen.
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If people judged God by my
actions, what would they
know of grace?
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To love without condition today
