While I was writing last week’s “thought” about inheritance my daily Bible reading notes took me to Matthew Chapter 20 and verses 1 – 16. In this parable a landowner hires labourers early in the morning and they work all day, being joined later by labourers who are hired at 9am at 3pm and at 5pm. When it came for the time to be paid, they all received the same amount, the going daily rate. Those who had worked all day, suffering the heat of the midday sun, grumbled and said it wasn’t fair – they should surely receive more than those who only worked for 1 hour? The landowner explained that he wanted to be generous and give away what he chose from his own resources
I believe this parable has much to say to us about our Christian inheritance. Those of us who were brought up in the church, and have served God all our lives, may feel that we should be specially valued in God’s kingdom. We have learned to do things in particular ways; we feel very at home in the church and may find the behaviour of newer converts somewhat challenging and even inappropriate. They may have lots of tattoos, pop out for a cigarette during the service, do things on Sundays that we have never done. If we have worked hard for God all our lives, are we not more precious to him, and deserving of having things done our way?
This parable reminds us that anyone who comes to faith in Jesus as God’s son, and embarks on the Christian life, at any stage in their life, will be welcomed by God, whose heart is to give generously of his grace and mercy. We who are his long serving disciples have a rich inheritance, but we don’t have a monopoly and we have to learn to accept those who do things differently from us. One of the thieves who hung beside Jesus on the cross repented of his criminal ways as he hung there, and said to the other thief, ” Do you not fear God since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong”. Then he said, “Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom” and Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you today you will be with me in Paradise”. The thief did not have a long Christian career, nor a chance to learn about discipleship, but he did have the opportunity to turn his life around at the end of his days and enter into a glorious inheritance prepared for him by our God of abundant mercy and grace.
Prayer. Thank you, Father God, that you are a generous and merciful provider to all who come to you in repentance and trust. Help us to rejoice that we have a glorious inheritance, whether we have followed you for a long or a short time on this earth.