Matthew 20:1-16

I haven't been making my blog a priority lately, since school has started back up. I'm only taking two courses this semester; both science courses. And I am still working at the preschool; our new class is a handful but they are so talented and creative! I've also started working out again, I was bad and skipped working out the whole month of August. [oops!] So I've neglected my blog just a bit. But I have been making time to read the bible at least once a day. Sometimes I only get to read just a chapter, sometimes two or three chapters, but I make sure I open my bible and study!

Today I had some extra time, so I just wanted to review what I went over the very first thing Jesus talks about in Matthew 20.

Matthew 20:1-16 Jesus Tells the Parable of the Vineyard Workers
So if you've read this, you know that he talks about a landowner with a vineyard who hires workers. The landowner goes out at different times of the day to hire workers. He hires some in the morning, some in the afternoon, and some in the evening and he tells each that he will pay them a denarius. Well at the end of the day he calls the workers to collect their pay. He has the last workers hired to come first, and pays them their denarius and so on until he gets to the first workers that were hired and pays them their denarius.
The first workers were a bit upset at the fact that everyone got the same pay even though they did not work the same amount of time. They argued that they were there in the morning and worked through the heat of the afternoon, they didn't think it was right that they got the same pay as those who only worked in the evening.
The landowner replies, "I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?".
Then Jesus says, "So the last will be first, and the first will be last"

I liked this because it is so easy to agree with the workers who were hired in the morning. How often do we say we were treated unfairly compared to how someone else was treated? How often do we think we deserve more than someone else because of our efforts? But when we understand how God sees things, it becomes clear that He does not love us because we are first, because of how hard we work, or because of our efforts; He loves us simply because he loves us!
He gives us second chances! If you ever came in last, you will be first in God's kingdom! Isn't that amazing? God doesn't care what you have accomplished in this life, how hard you've worked, how little you've worked, or if you have anything to show for the life you've lived. If God is all you have, you have all you need!

Also, in this passage Jesus clarified the membership rules of the kingdom of heaven -- entrance is by God's grace alone!
So it does not matter if you've been a believer your whole life, if you became a believer as a teenager, an adult, an elder, or up until you were on your deathbed... by God's grace you will be welcomed into his kingdom. It is never too late! It is better late than never! And we should not hold a grudge against new believers because they are "late"; in reality no one deserves eternal life. We should be thankful for what God has blessed us with! And be happy for those who have also been blessed. And be happy for those who found Jesus, regardless of when they found him.

I hope everyone is having an amazing Sunday! God gave us some great weather this weekend, I'm so thankful we didn't have to endure the heat. The temperatures were pretty low. It was awesome. Hope the cooler weather sticks around here in Texas. Have a fantastic week, everyone!