Read Matt 20:1–16
Mat 20:10-16 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. (11) And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, (12) saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ (13) But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? (14) Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. (15) Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ (16) So the last will be first, and the first last.”

So what kind of attitude do you have about God? Is he just some sovereign cruel or indifferent master somewhere up in the sky that you have to obey or else? Or do you look to him as one who is lovingkindness, merciful, gracious, generous and kind? Your answer will determine what kind of God you’ll meet on judgment day. Indeed the kind of God you believe you have is very likely the kind of God you will have. Now, I not saying this apart from the mercies of Christ Jesus, for we can only know the second one in Christ Jesus. But even then, many Christians think Jesus is a mere earthly lord who lords things over his people. Oftentimes it is not their fault, it’s the only God they were ever taught.

The guys in this story were hired for a set amount. As far as they were concerned, their new lord was simply a tit-for-tat kind of guy. You work x you get x. They themselves were this type of people. Not only that, they were the kind of people who compared themselves to others. Well you can never be too happy living that way. So when the saw the owner of the field giving more than they agreed to work for per hour they were quite upset. Yet they were getting what they deserved what they agreed to.

So too, many people have made all sorts of deals with God. They go about living with a transactional God they think they find in the bible. And they get what they desire out of this life. But they will be disappointed when they find out that the true and living God, in Christ Jesus, is not a transactional type of God. He is a generous, kind, merciful and loving God who gives people what they don’t deserve. The problem with the first group is they didn’t see his generosity in hiring them at all. Jesus has been generous to you by bringing you the free gift of eternal life. He calls you to live out that eternal life in this world as you await the next world. If you go about trudgingly living your Christians life as debt or work for God, you probably won’t be too happy in this life. When you see living out the Christian life as joy in the new world to come as a generous gift from God for Christ’ sake, then you will find its true meaning.

Lord God heavenly Father, help me see you as the kind, generous, merciful and loving God you are in Christ Jesus and give me your Spirit that I may live out this faith joyfully serving you trusting in your true character. In Jesus’ name. Amen.