Matthew 20:16 "And so it is, many who are first now will be last then; and those who are last now, will be first then."
Jesus just got done telling a story about the kingdom of God that surely messed with his disciples, as it messes with me. The boss in the story hires workers at different hours of the day and at the end of the day he pays them all the same-despite how long they worked. The workers who began in the morning and worked all day complain they were getting paid the same as the guys who started in the evening. But the boss argues he can do what he wants with his money and they agreed to work all day for that wage. How unfair!
I have to be honest here and empathize with the complaining workers. They worked all day for the big guy and at the end of it all, he compensates them the same as the guy who shows up 8 hours later! It doesn't seem right. It doesn't seem fair. This just goes to show that Jesus is the ultimate revolutionary and that the ways of the world are different from the ways of the kingdom. At the end of his story, Jesus says in his kingdom the first shall be last and the last shall be first. That's the way it is and I better get on board with that and celebrate what God is doing and what he will do. I should rejoice over those who turn to Christ after me. The more the merrier anyway!
Dear Jesus, help me to love those who have not yet turned to you and help me to see everyone as you see them! Amen.
