Would you prefer God to be fair, or God to be generous? I suspect that some of you are like me in that your answer depends on where you are standing. When I think I am being extremely conscientious in my faith, trying my absolute best to do as I think Jesus calls me to do, I think that I merit a bit more consideration from God than those folks whose religious life seems little more than lip service. But when I become acutely aware of my own failings, the ways that I have failed miserably to live as Jesus calls me to do, then I am a much bigger fan of a generous God.Today's parable of the workers in the vineyard is one of several parables on unfairness that Jesus tells. Workers who toiled for 12 hours in the hot sun end up receiving the very same wages as workers hired just before the day ended. In the parable, the vineyard owner claims to be both fair and generous. Those who worked all day received exactly the wage they agreed to when they were hired. The fact that the late hires received the same amount was an act of generosity. But does that make it unfair?
What is it about our nature that thinks it unfair for God to be generous with others if we feel we don't "need" such generosity for ourselves? Why do we often begrudge such generosity? I won't claim to fully understand why our human nature often seems out so of sync with God's, but it seems to me that becoming new creations in Christ must surely be about becoming more loving and generous toward all. And come to think of it, the need for this transformation may explain why Jesus speaks in another place about how difficult it is for those with wealth to enter the kingdom of God.
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