Late entrants

Late entrants

‘When those hired at five o’ clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage’ (Matt. 20: 9, NLT).

A vineyard owner went out early in the morning to hire workers. They agreed on the normal daily wage and went to work. Later about nine o’ clock he saw some other unemployed people. He hired them and promised to pay them a fair wage. He did the same thing at noon, and again at three o’ clock. At five o’ clock that evening he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. Since no one had hired them, he told them to go to work in his vineyard.

By six o’ clock, when the day’s work was over, the man called the workers in to pay them their wages, beginning with the last workers to the first. Surprisingly those hired at five o’ clock were paid a full day’s wage. Those who were hired first assumed they would get far more. But they too were paid a day’s wage. Expectedly, they expressed their dissatisfaction with the man’s “unfairness”. ‘Why on earth should they be paid the same wage?’ Many of us also wonder.

Though this parable was meant to explain what the kingdom of heaven looks like, it also applies to many other areas of life. I have asked many times: ‘Why did the farm owner pay them the same wage?’ Could it be that those who came later worked harder than those who came earlier? That is possible because those who came earlier might have become tired by afternoon time. Perhaps the man also considered the fact that those who came later were actually willing to work but no one hired them. In any case, let’s dwell more on what we can learn from this.

All the workers belonged to the same level in the morning time. But as the day progressed, one after the other, each one was getting his opportunity. But those left behind felt bad, until some of them still went in. Now when the day was almost over, just one hour left out of twelve, the mercy of God still qualified the ‘left-outs’. That shows that no matter how behind you seem to be in the time of life, grace can still find you, and in the end, the time you have lost will not matter at all.

Friend it’s not too late to be gainfully employed, get married, breakthrough in your career, have your children, be promoted or experience a positive turn around. And of course, it’s not too late to give your life to Christ and serve in His kingdom vineyard, even more powerfully than the early intakes! Interestingly, the reward system will not be based on workers’ order of entry but on the fact that you made it in! You’ve been invited into grace. Come in and be hired, for time is almost over. You won’t remain the same as you do!

Today’s Corporate Prayer: Father, convert my delay to speedy breakthroughs. In Christ Jesus mighty name!

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