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O God, I don’t always get it right.

      I am sorry.

       I am glad, regardless, I am loved.

Fair?

Matt. 20.1-16

I have been thinking about the crisis in the economy.

I have been thinking about the finance companies.

Older, thrifty, prudent people have saved for their old age

-and finance companies have not been careful with their savings.

Young people, full of hope, have borrowed to buy a home

-and finance companies have loaned the young ones more than they could service.

It’s not fair!

I remember saying to my father about something that had happened,

‘It’s not fair!’ He said,

‘Get used to it laddie.’ He went on,

‘As you go through life you’ll find there’s a lot of it about.’

What do you think about these men who worked all day, for a day’s pay

-and then the man who worked just an hour or two got paid the same!

Is that fair?

I think a panel would be helpful as we explore these things.

………………..  would you like to join a panel?

When those who worked all day grumbled, the employer said,

‘I paid you what we agreed.’

Isn’t that fair enough?

What does the panel think?

…………….

The employer went on,

‘I want to pay this man I hired last the same.

Don’t I have the right to do as I wish with my own money?’

Isn’t that fair enough?

Margaret has given this some thought.

Elements of the story:

I think when the man who worked just a few hours was paid first and given a day’s pay –it raised the expectations of those who had worked all day.

They had hoped they might get a bit more than what had been agreed.

It is often not helpful to compare ourselves against someone else.

Comparing can make us discontent.

It can make us feel ill-used.

What does the panel think?

……………………..

Let’s have a look at this man hired last.

He had been standing there all day, hoping to get some work.

He didn’t go off home. He waited and waited, hoping.

Maybe be had a family to provide for.

Maybe he had a loan to pay back.

Was it his fault he didn’t get hired until late in the day?

Maybe the employer was aware of these things.

What does the panel think?

…………….

I am thinking about the election.

Is the parable saying,

-people should be paid, not according to their work

but according to their need?

What have you been thinking?

Is the employer fair?

I invite you to have a word with your neighbour.

……………….

Margaret has another view.

Elements of the story:

My father-in-law used to say ………….. ‘Your work is your health.’

Our work gives us a sense of purpose.

Our work is something engrossing, stimulating.

Our work brings us satisfaction when something goes well.

Our work gives us the company of our colleagues.

Our work is more than earning the money.

We can think of the men working in the vineyard, harvesting grapes,

making their way along the rows, talking, laughing.

And we can think of the man standing all day in the square, waiting.

Work is more than earning the money.

I’m thinking about these men who worked all day complaining about the man who worked a few hours being paid the same as them.

Do you think they were mean-spirited?

Or were they only human?

Could they have said to the employer,

‘Good on you! That’s a nice thing to do!’

Could they have said to the man, 

‘We’re very happy for you! You waited all day.

You’ll be able to pay those bills now!’

Or is that too big hearted to ask of anyone?

What does the panel think?

……………….

Let’s have a look at the employer.

He pays a man more than he earned.

The employer is generous and gracious.

Do you think the employer might be God?

We celebrate the spring time. We see a wonderful abundance of spring flowers.

Everywhere we look, we see blossoms and daffodils and sometimes magnolia.

We don’t get what we have earned.

We get more than we could possibly ever earn!

We don’t get what’s fair.

We get far more than what’s fair!

I remember sitting with a woman terminally ill in hospital.

I asked her, ‘what are you feeling?’ She said,

‘I’ve been thinking, I’m so lucky.’

She went on,

‘I’m getting the best of care here.

I’ve had my friends visit me.

I’m loved by my family.

I’m just so lucky, John.

So lucky.’

A Response

A thought or a story of your own - click here to email  stgiles@xtra.co.nz