The Last Will Be First And The First Will Be Last

Parables are great...but they sure can be tricky little buggers. The parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matthew 20) is one in particular I have really struggled with.

If you aren't familiar with this parable, please take 3 minutes and go read it. Seriously-Go. Right now. This article will still be here when you return.

Alright, so to summarize:                                       
 *Man hires workers for a very fare wage (1 denarius)
 *He needs more workers, so he hires more without discussing their wage                                              
 *This repeats every few hours until only one work hour remains                                            
 *When the workday ends-each worker was paid the exact same amount regardless if worked 12 hours or 1 hour                                      
 *The full day workers became irritated because they expected more even though they agreed upon their wage from the start                                                              
*Man tells them they shouldn't be angry over his generosity

The moral of the story, final line, and cause for confusion for many people is this, “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

What? What does that even mean? The last will be first, and the first will be last?

Well, here’s my take:

How can the last be first and the first be last? The best way I have heard this explained is through racing. If the first person is, at the same time, last, and the last person is, at the same time, first, they have to be tied. How else can you be first and last at the same time? 

Okay. So let’s run with that (pun intended). Just for story’s sake, we are going to call the workers at the beginning of the story (those who worked the full 12 hours) the “forever Christians”-you know, born, baptized, always have been Christians. As the day goes on, each set of workers will represent those who “find faith” along the way.  Some people begin their walk with God at birth, others first begin their walk with God as death nears (the workers who worked for one hour at the end of the parable).

You still with me?

Okay, so the Man who hired the workers represents God.

Fast forward to the end of the story: Those who worked 12 hours received 1 denarius. Those who worked 1 hour, 3 hours, 6 hours, and 9 hours also received 1 denarius.

They all received the same...It didn't matter how much work they did. They all received the same.

Let’s put it together.

Whether we are born Christians or don’t become Christians until our final hour, we finish the same. God is the generous figure who hires us, and pays us all the same (eternity in heaven). It’s not a contest about who was the best Christian or who was the closest to perfect. The “reward” for knowing God early on is simply that: the joy of more days in a relationship with God.

It is important for us to be reminded every once in a while, just how much God loves us. Things may not seem fair- “I was a ‘good’ Christian my whole life-they screwed around until just now.” “I worked 12 hours in the hot field-they barely lifted a finger”...but I challenge you to look at it another way. It’s called grace. And it is a gift we have all been given. God is beyond our understanding of “fair”…There is no penalty for loving and wanting a relationship with God-just acceptance. Whether we are 2, 22, or 122, God wants us and will welcome us with open arms. Why?

Because God is good. All the time.