This parable provides clear insight into the problem I mentioned in an earlier post (God's Ridiculous Faithfulness). As the story goes, workers were hired at the beginning of the day and agreed to a set wage. Throughout the day, the owner of the vineyard hires more workers, mid-morning, midday, mid-afternoon, and an hour before close. Those hired last get their wage first and it just so happens they get the same amount as those hired first thing in the morning. Of course the workers who put in a full day do what any other vineyard worker would do... they whine (I can almost imagine the owner saying, "Would you like cheese with that whine?").
It's only logical that the owner would recognize this error and correct it, right? I mean these guys worked all day, the others only a small part. They deserve better. Well in all graciousness, the owner reminds them they had an agreement. He had been generous in holding up his end of the deal. It was his right to deal with the others workers as he saw fit. And he ask them a great question: Do you begrudge my generosity?
Note the owners question. His question put the first workers right in their place. Sure, the reality is the situation didn't make sense, but he had been generous to all the workers. The brilliant question provided the one thing the first workers needed: perspective. That perspective, fair or not, made these first workers realize what they got was equality. And in some cases, like this particular one, equality is not fair. The owner didn't pull a fast one, he simply welcomed them (and us) to the economy of grace... God's ridiculous, radical grace.
I have a question for you: Is equality fair?
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