Grace isn't fair!

Matthew 20:8-16 And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ So the last will be first, and the first last.” In Jesus' parable, those who served (worked) the shortest were paid the same as those who had labored all day. This brought complaints from those who served the longest, even though they got what they had agreed on. Why the complaint? Because they were comparing to others, thinking they deserved more. In context, the disciples were being rebuked for always asking "What do we get?" and implying that they deserved more because they had left all to follow Jesus. We often miss the big picture. The Kingdom of God is given by Gracious God. He owns it, and therefore is in His full rights to give it to whomever He choses, whenever and however He chooses. He doesn't have to give us anything at all. Whatever He gives is at least what we deserve, and often so much more. May we stop complaining.