“So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. “ – Matthew 20:16

The landowner needed workers. He needed more as the day went on. According to his rights, he recruited throughout the day and negotiated a salary with each. At the end of the day, he payed what he had promised and all received an equal share – even those who had come late to the task.

Those who came early resented his generosity and grumbled. The landowner was appalled at their attitudes. After all, it was his money, his field, and his prerogative to be generous. He was not paying the early recruits less than they deserved, he was paying the late-comers more.

Some people come early to God’s kingdom and some late. It is not always a matter of time, but often a matter of cost. It costs some people more to follow Jesus. Some bring more energy, commitment, and perseverance and less “baggage” and may be tempted to think of themselves as a higher class of Christian. They are prone to resentment when they discover that God loves and blesses the latecomers as much as them.

We must abandon, once and for all, our score-book, time-sheet mentality with regard to Christian service.  Service is all about the One we serve and not about getting our just deserts.  We are not rewarded for our efforts or longevity, but on the basis of a covenant relationship, for faithfulness by grace.  We are not in the service of the Lord for the praise of men, for financial rewards, or recognition.  God has already erased a great debt we could never pay.  If we had to serve on an eternal chain gang, we could never achieve equity in our relationship with Him.  How could we ever call Him unfair by comparing ourselves with other people?  It is beyond even limited human reason to do so.  It is ridiculous by any eternal standard.  We serve out of gratitude and grace and because the very nature of our relationship with the Master compels us.