Matthew 20:1-16
In our story for today, some workers come at the beginning of the work day, and agree with their supervisor to be paid a fair day’s wage. More workers come in mid-day and receive the same wage. And others come at the last, also receiving the same wage, and the workers who came at the beginning of the day complain at the injustice of being paid the same as those who came late in the day and only worked little. At the heart of the supervisor’s response is the question, “Are you envious because I am generous?”
Maybe this is a question we are faced with in our own lives from time to time, offended by generosity toward another instead of grateful that our neighbor has received such love. I think of my grandfathers, their very different lives, and the questions their paths through life have raised in my own family.
My mother’s dad was in the church from his youth, and knew from childhood that he would become a pastor as an adult. His whole life was devoted to ministry, and even after he’d retired from full-time ministry, he still filled in for other pastors regularly up until the time Alzheimer’s began to limit his abilities. In comparison, my dad’s step-dad Carl didn’t come to faith until the last six months of his life when it became apparent that his days were limited. Those six months of his Christian faithfulness consisted in praying daily and reading the Bible, which at first glance looks like nothing in comparison to the almost 60 years of Christian service my mom’s dad was able to offer to the church. They never knew one another well, were never fully aware of the differences from one another, but I do remember others in my mother’s family quietly noting the differences. But grace, the generosity of God’s love, stretched to both in equal measure.
What is at the heart of such envy when another receives lavish generosity? I wonder sometimes if it’s a fear we might have that generosity is limited – that for another to receive an abundance of generosity means that we necessarily experience scarcity as a result. And maybe seeing another receive beyond what their work merits, diminishes our own sense of being loved deeply. Somehow it causes us to feel worth less. But as it turns out, generosity, like kindness, stretches beyond what is expected and reasonable, to offer more. Love is never deserved. No one is ever worthy of love in the sense that something good in us makes us deserving of God’s love. The love of God is abundant, endless, and based upon God’s image created in us. Another’s good fortune doesn’t mean our lack. What we are offered is sufficient.
Where in your life has generosity to another provoked envy within you? How can you imagine entering into the abundance of God’s love and celebrating another’s benefit, instead of wallowing in resentment?
Prayer: God of abundant love, you have called us to yourself, and offered to us of your goodness in ways you deem just. Move us to gratitude when you love our neighbor well, and teach us to celebrate your generosity to all regardless of our sense of worthiness and deserving. Hear our envy as longing for greater measures of you, and meet us in our need with growing awareness of your generosity toward us. We want to love as you love. In Jesus, Amen.
-Shannon Schaefer
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