I know I shouldn’t be surprised at all, but
the bible as the living word has never ceased to amaze me with its wonder. I’ve
probably read and heard the parable of the vineyard workers several times since
I’ve come to know Christ. But this story, just like the rest of the bible,
always surprises me with new revelations that speak to me directly. I haven’t
been blogging (per se) for a long time since I’ve been into poems lately (hehe)
but I am compelled to write about the wonderful realization I have been inspired
in one of my daily quiet times.
~O~
The parable of the vineyard workers (Matthew 20:1-16), as some
may already know, is the story of a generous vineyard owner who gave the
standard amount of wage to all of his workers, regardless of the time they got
hired to work. I have always associated myself with the jealous and selfish
early workers who expected more for themselves and less for those who came
late. How could I not? This world I live in from kindergarten to this life in
the corporate world had taught me that to perform more and beyond is the only
way to garner a prize; the greater the prize you aspire for, the more
investment you should give. This performance-based society has shown me that to
gain something big, I must sacrifice and relentlessly give something greater
than anyone else can. This is the sad reality that we live in... and will physically
die in.
It’s easy to associate ourselves withthis type
of vineyard workers because all of us are enclosed in this cultured society.
This is why associating (and even seeing!) myself with the second group of
vineyard workers, the late-comers, came to me as a surprise.
The second type of vineyard workers, those
who were called almost near closing time probably spent their time either
idling around or hopelessly (and vainly) looking for work. They could’ve been
the group of unqualified people, who gather in the market place looking do to
something or work for someone but probably never got hired. They could’ve been
those who already gave up on life thinking that life gave up on them. These
could’ve been the people who spend the rest of their days doing monkey-business
or doing nothing at all! These could’ve been the group of people who were
looking at the horizon as the sun was about to set and thinking to themselves...
“For what reason will I get up tomorrow morning again?”
Then here comes this ridiculously rich
vineyard owner, ridiculously offering them work at such an hour! Hope comes in
just as the night sets in and the second group of workers find themselves in a
vineyard toiling for something, living a purpose. Most of the time, I am every
one of these vineyard workers. Idling around, walking aimlessly in my life. And
when asked, I would say “... because no one has hired me yet.” Or in other
words, no passion has taken me to explore yet, no love has swept me off my feet to involve
myself in something worthwhile yet. Most of my life so far, I spent idling
around, hoping and getting disappointed, and looking for my purpose yet not
finding it in any.
In a way, I think we have all come to be this
second group of vineyard workers - late-comers. Late in allowing God into our
hearts, late into realizing that the way of the Lord was right after all, late
in realizing that waiting in faith could’ve been more fruitful than hollow actions. Also, we
all were made to feel unqualified in one or more aspects. We all were made to
feel useless and almost nearing the longest nights of our lives.
Then the Lord comes – with His scandalizing
generosity and Love. He offers us life, better than the one offered by this short-lived world.
Compared to the eternity He gives us with Him, life here on earth is as short
as the dusking. Bright and beautiful at some point, colourful at one... but
eventually dark. No matter how unqualified we seem to be, He changes and
qualifies us. The vineyard owner never tested the workers before giving them real
work. No, He was actually on a giving spree! He wanted to give to as many as He
can, even extending till the end of day to hire His people. He was the one who
made the bystanders qualified; Him and nothing else.
What’s more impeccable is – these people who
seemed to be at the bottom of the food chain, received the very things the
first comers received! How great is that?! As weird as it may seem to some, all
of us are undeserving of a full day’s pay, not even the earliest Christians who
died for Christ! (So if they aren’t, how much more me, right!?) Human beings
will never come at par with God in His holiness. But this God of ours gives all, and
not just gives, give freely and joyfully and cheerfully and generously to beings
who will never ever in their Earthly lives deserve anything, really. This is
such a wonderful truth – the generosity, love and power of the Lord who made us
and cares for even our smallest and deepest needs.
So when the Lord calls, I bet there is nothing
left for us to do but to follow. Qualification and timing? That is beyond us. It
is true that man will always fall short of the Lord’s standards. But where we
fall short, that’s where Jesus takes it all in His shoulders and carries us
with Him.
Amen to the God who is able!
