"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 "When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard.3 "And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place; 4 and to those he said, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' And so they went. 5 "Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same thing. 6 "And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he said* to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day long?'7 "They said* to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said* to them, 'You go into the vineyard too.'
8 "When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said* to his foreman, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to the first.' 9 "When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a denarius . 10 "When those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. 11 "When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, 12 saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.' 13 "But he answered and said to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 'Take what is yours and go, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 'Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous ?' 16 "So the last shall be first, and the first last."
8 "When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said* to his foreman, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to the first.' 9 "When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a denarius . 10 "When those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. 11 "When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, 12 saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.' 13 "But he answered and said to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 'Take what is yours and go, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 'Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous ?' 16 "So the last shall be first, and the first last."
Matt 20:1-16 (NASB95)
We all like rewards. It feels good to be rewarded for hard work or a good job. Yet in Kingdom living the Christ follower needs to evaluate and be careful that we are working for the master for the right reason. In Kingdom living and Kingdom work it should not be about the reward but about serving the master.
Jesus told this parable to remind his followers that He decides who serves where, for how long and what the rewards will be. There are really no big servants and rewards or little servants or rewards. The idea that the Kingdom is comprised of Super Christians and normal Christians is just not accurate. The real test is are we obedient and faithful.
Rewards are nice and they are promised. But the Christ follower must beware of the trap of looking for the reward rather than loving and serving the master.
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