Day 24: May 28Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16 It’s been a long road, getting from there to here. It’s been a long time . . . My youngest daughter, a Shenandoah graduate and public school teacher, also works in the tasting room in a Horton Vineyards near Orange, Virginia. Serving up fragrant sips at the vineyard and occasionally at food festivals, she doesn’t get paid to taste, but to share. She’s the only person I’ve know who actually is employed at a vineyard. So I interviewed her by phone. “Omygosh,” she said, “growing grapes is hard, year-round work. Migrant workers prune the vines severely so they will produce better. That’s in the Bible you know. The vines have to be kept weed-free, tied down, shaped up, trained over, cut back, and leaves and extra grapes thinned so the bunches can breathe, get air, sunshine. The work never ends and there never seem to be enough workers. And all that is months before the grapes are picked, processed and the wine making and bottling starts.” Then she added, “those who serve the finished wine are like the Prodigal, you know, and the real workers are like the older son who did the stay-at-home work.” When reading Matt. 20:1-16, what did you find? Where, for instance, did the landowner, the vineyard owner, go to hire day laborers? He went to the market place. Not just once. He went five times: early in the morning, at 9 o’clock, at noon, at three o’clock, and at five o’clock. It was almost quitting time in a dawn ‘til dusk working environment, almost night time, and he returns to the market place to hire a fifth time at 5 P.M. Why, why didn’t he compel, conscript, sufficient help at dawn? And at the end of the day all laborers get paid the same. Whaaa? The owner of the vineyard said, “Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Why should you be jealous if I want to be generous?” My question is about tomorrow in the story. Which of the workers hired at dawn today are going to sleep-in tomorrow? And which of the five o’clock hires are going to respond out of gratitude, and be ready, tools-in-hand, first thing in the morning? Who will work together tomorrow, and at what time? Will the “first be the last and the last, the first?” (v 16.) Will there be reconciliation and liberation in the vineyard? What different burning bushes will be discovered, accepted, rejected, claimed as valid calls to the vineyard? Will the will of the landowner who keeps going to the market place to bring in new waves of laborers, new flocks of sheep, new and differently discipled persons - rub off on the flock? Will we dare to share the servant ministry? With whom are you compelled, in Jesus’ name and example, to share the doing and receiving of ministry? Prayer: Good Lord and Employer, employ us as you will, with whom you will, according to your will, that you will be glorified. Thank you for the opportunity to move beyond the box, outside the bubble, and to trust you. Thank you for still recruiting and partnering your servants. Give to us all - grace and wisdom - that glorifies you. Amen. W. David Erickson |