GOD'S BOOKKEEPING

Dr. Richard J. Henderson September 18, 2005

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Psalm 105:1-6
Matthew 20:1-15

Introduction

How would you feel if you worked twelve hours in the blazing sun and then, when you got paid, found out somebody who worked less than an hour got paid the same? I mean you've been out in a field working - your shirt soaked with sweat, blisters on your hands, exhausted - and somebody else only goes into the field for forty-five minutes - doesn't even break a sweat - and is paid the same as you!

Would you be angry? It's unfair! It's unjust! Here's the story...(Matthew 20:1-15)

I

Why in the world would Jesus tell a story like this? It looks like he's encouraging actions that aren't fair. Isn't he supposed to care about justice and the things that are right? This isn't right! The man hired at six in the morning swelters in the heat all day; the man hired at five doesn't even put in one hours work. He hardly has time to get his gloves on when the quitting whistle blows.

To put it in today's terms, a denari, which is a day's wages, would equal about $50 (at minimum wage). So the last man hired works for more than $50 per hour and the first hired works for $4 per hour. If ever there was reason to file a grievance this is it. We look at this story from the perspective of the first man hired - the one who worked for twelve hours. We are the people who get up early and work hard all day. We automatically see the injustice of it.

II

We can see this story from a different perspective. So often there is another point from which to see events. John Westerhoff teaches at Duke University. He was asked to consult with a government school for Native Americans out West.

When he was there, they asked him to help with a problem they were having. Students in the school were cheating. As much as the teachers tried to get them to stop, they couldn't. One teacher said she was shocked at the low morals among these children.

Westerhoff met with the students to ask them why they were looking at each others answers.

They seemed surprised that he thought there was something wrong. "If someone in the tribe knows the answer he should help those who don't know. If someone in the tribe doesn't know, he should go ask someone who does."

Their culture had a very different approach to learning. Rather than try to outdo others - get an A and keep others from getting one - they felt that the tribe should work together to find the answer. That's a very different viewpoint about education! Cooperation rather than competition.

There is another way to look at the parable Jesus told. Can you hear the story from the perspective of the last person hired? Why weren't they hired earlier? Maybe they're lazy, they slept in that day and didn't get into town till noon. Maybe they had a hangover.

But why would they still be there waiting for a job at 5 o'clock? Why would anybody still be hoping for a job at 5 o'clock? They must be desperate. Maybe they are disabled, uneducated, untrained. They are always the last one picked when the teams are chosen.

If you saw the film Cinderella Man, you have a good idea of what looking for work was like. The lead character, Jim Braddock is out of work in the depression and he is desperate. Fifty people show up, standing behind a chain link fence, waiting to be hired for the day. Only four will be chosen. When Braddock's hand is broken, he hides it because if they knew, he wouldn't be chosen and he and his family might starve. To still hope that you might get chosen at 5:00 PM means that you are really desperate and you are willing to hang on to the bitter end.

III

How does the story look from the 5:00 PM perspective? First, they are thrilled to be chosen. Nobody ever chooses them! They will be excited even to be paid for one hours work. It's is a great gift. Then when they receive a full days pay for only working a little while, they think they've died and gone to heaven. They can go home to their families and celebrate! Not only will they get a real meal. That night, they'll be able to eat for a week.

There are many people in the world who hear this parable from the viewpoint of the 5 o'clock people; most of the world's people would see it from that perspective. They see it as an enormous gift to people who never get gifts like that. Its sort of like being a starving refugee of Katrina and seeing a huge truck pull up loaded with food and water. How you hear the story depends on your perspective.

IV

You and I live in a world of earning our way. You work hard, do well, get ahead, and have more. We say, "If I work hard I will get a promotion." We earn our way. It is ingrained in us since we are able to walk.

But the Bible tells us "The sun shines on the good and the bad; the rain falls on the just and unjust." With God, we don't earn our way. We can't rack up points, and deserve rewards that God gives. I love the quotation from Robert Capon, "If the world could have been saved by good bookkeeping, it would have been saved by Moses, not Jesus."

The Kingdom of God is built on grace, not merit. We don't get what we deserve - thank God. God's offers a radical generosity. It's not a question of what we have earned, but trusting in God and accepting God's grace. In God's world, the nobodies can be somebody's.

A key phrase in this parable is, "Do you envy my generosity?" Those hired first got exactly what they had negotiated. Those hired later in the day got extreme generosity.

Conclusion

This parable is about God's grace. We can look at how good we are and what God owes us, or we can trust in God and give thanks for God's generosity. Which will you choose?

Amen

©Richard J. Henderson 2005