Jesus told his disciples:

1 “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who was the master of a household, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 He went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace. 4 He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went their way. 5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 About the eleventh hour, he went out, and found others standing idle. He said to them, ‘Why do you stand here all day idle?’

7 “They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’

“He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and you will receive whatever is right.’ 8 When evening had come, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last to the first.’

9 “When those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came, they each received a denarius. 10 When the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise each received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they murmured against the master of the household, 12 saying, ‘These last have spent 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 answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Didn’t you agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take that which is yours, and go your way. It is my desire to give to this last just as much as to you. 15 Isn’t it lawful for me to do what I want to with what I own? Or do you give me the 'evil eye' because I am good?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”

Matthew 20:1-16a - World English Bible

In Matthew 19:28-29, Jesus promised his followers that they would receive much for their self-sacrifice. Those who lost all for the Good News would gain an eternal reward. He followed that statement up with the parable of the the Workers in the Vineyard. This story worked on two levels: the urgency of the harvest and the complaints from the workers' point-of-view. First, the grapes in the vineyard (representing Israel; Psalm 80:8, Isaiah 3:14-15, 5:5-7, 27:2) ripened (representing the end time) , so businessman (representing the Father) approached day laborers in the marketplace to harvest the fruit. He offered the laborers (representing missionaries) a denarius, the Roman coin paid for a day's labor. He hired men a day break, at nine AM, at noon, at three PM and, finally, at 5 PM, all for the same wage. So, 20:1-7 described the businessman's urgency to harvest; symbolically, it revealed the immanence of the Kingdom.

Now, Jesus shifted the story to the reaction of the workers. Despite the time of their calling, they all received the same reward. So, the men who labored all day long grumbled against those who worked only an hour. Some expected to receive more for their efforts, but were disappointed when they were paid. Was this fair? Or, were the workers selfish when they lost site of the job they were called to? The importance of the calling and the task outweighed that of the effort. Realizing that moral to the story required humility. The last shall be first and the first, last.

Have you been jealous of new Christians, with their energy and passion? Or, have they inspired you?