Working at Cross Purposes
Laura Digan
April 25, 2025
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Matthew 20: 1-16 (NIVUK)
1 ‘For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius[a] for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
3 ‘About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the market-place doing nothing. 4 He told them, “You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” 5 So they went.
‘He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. 6 About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, “Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?”
7 ‘“Because no one has hired us,” they answered.
‘He said to them, “You also go and work in my vineyard.”
8 ‘When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, “Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.”
9 ‘The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 “These who were hired last worked only one hour,” they said, “and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.”
13 ‘But he answered one of them, “I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?”
16 ‘So the last will be first, and the first will be last.’
Some Christians can be very judgemental. As I was discerning whether to apply for ministry I volunteered with a Christian charity that helped the homeless. Volunteers came from all denominations but I found some denominations really looked down upon those from the Church of Scotland (CofS). A few even said to me that the CofS weren’t ‘real’ Christians and actively encouraged me to come to their churches. You can imagine their reaction when I told them I was training to become a CofS minister!
But even within the CofS there is judgement among Christians, fellow Christians looking down on each other, thinking they are ‘better’ Christians.
This judgement and disunity is damaging as it stops us focusing on Jesus, it stops us pointing to Jesus, it stops us working together to build God’s Kingdom here on earth.
Imagine what could happen within the world if we just accepted each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. None more worthy than the other. Equally loved branches working together with and in the true vine.
Imagine the beauty.
Imagine the flourishing.
Imagine the harvest.
Prayer:
Lord God,
So often we judge and think we are more worthy than others.
Teach us to love as you love,
Teach us to see the value in each other
Teach us to understand the power of unity in Christ
Amen
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