Fair Payment

This Sunday morning we continue our series on some of the sayings or teachings of Jesus that we typically have a hard time understanding or applying. In this passage in Matthew, Jesus tells a parable of a landowner who is hiring workers throughout the day to work in his vineyard. At the end of the day, he pays everyone the same, regardless of how many hours they've worked. The longer-term workers in the story take exception with this, and as we read the story we might as well. Is this fair? What is Jesus communicating here? This teaching of Jesus reminds us that the value systems of our world don't often translate to the way things work in God's kingdom. When it comes to the gifts of God, we can be assured that not only is he completely fair with us, but also generous in his giving.