Green Is Not a Good Color (A 25 Sun 17 (MT 20:1-16a)

       Jealousy and anger are very human emotions.  These emotions often catch us off guard sometimes in a way that we cannot explain why we got so upset in the first place.  The parable about the workers as found in Matthew's gospel brings to light how these emotions come about.  The parable shows that all jealousy begins with a comparison.  We first compare our situation with someone else’s, and that comparison leads us to conclude that we are on the short end of the stick.  We feel like we didn’t get what we deserve in comparison to what someone else has or receives.  The green-eyed monster rears its ugly head and we become jealous.  Our jealousy often leads to anger and resentment, or worse.

       Notice that, so long as the first workers in the parable are unaware that the last workers will receive the same pay for doing less work in better conditions, the first workers are satisfied with their pay.  They accept the offer of the usual daily wage with no complaint.  Later, however, when they become aware that the last workers receive the exact same pay for doing less work in better conditions, they feel cheated. They become jealous. 

       From their perspective, simple fairness dictated less pay to the five o’clock crowd.  Jealousy pushes the complainers into anger and resentment toward their employer for what they perceive to be an injustice.  Rather than give them more pay, however, the employer rebukes them for their attitude.  He makes no apologies for his generosity and offers no justification for his actions.

       The parable ends on that rather harsh note, but the lesson is clear.  Comparisons often lead to jealousy, and jealousy does not bring about anything good, even if it stops short of anger. Even so, as a practical matter, I doubt that we can avoid making comparisons.  We learn at a very early age to compare ourselves with others.  As we were growing up, for example, how often did we hear phrases such as, why can’t you wear pretty clothes like your sister; or, why can’t you be nice like your brother; or, why can’t you make better grades like your friend so and so? 

       Sometimes such comments can be positive, but only if we are cautious about how far we let them take us.  The outcome to avoid is feeling jealous.  The employer’s rebuke in the parable seems to suggest that satisfaction with what we have without feeling jealous is possible, indeed, the preferred outcome. 

       On a spiritual level, however, the parable reveals more.  It reveals a difference between fairness on human terms and fairness on God’s terms.  This difference is the hard lesson from Isaiah: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord” (Is 55:8).  God just doesn’t see fairness the way we do.  We tend to think of fairness in terms of productivity and merit.  On our terms, we get what we deserve and we deserve only what we have earned. 

       We tend to think this way even when it comes to the kingdom of God.  We often think we earn our own way to the kingdom, we earn our own salvation, through our own dint of effort.  We think this even though Jesus makes it clear that getting into the kingdom is not a matter of getting ahead of others; rather, it is a matter of getting behind others.  Not first in line, but first in service.  This is fairness on God’s terms.       

       And, this is the whole point of the parable.  God measures fairness in terms of faithfulness.  The common factor among all the workers in the parable—from the first to the last—is that each is a faithful servant.  Each person worked for the length of time requested for the agreed upon pay in the circumstances in which they found themselves.  As a result, not one got cheated.  All receive the pay they were promised for the work they did.  They were faithful servants; they did what was asked of them, and their faithfulness was rewarded exactly for that reason.

       Perhaps the take away is this.  God does not look for grandiose effort on our part as a condition of our participation in his kingdom.  Rather, he looks for faithfulness to his word as each of us understands and applies that word.  In that case, rather than begrudge the gifts and achievements that our neighbors enjoy, we can celebrate their successes.  At the same time, we can be grateful for our own gifts by using them in loving service to others.  Faithful service is all that God expects from each of us, and we can expect a reward for nothing more.