Sermon, 21 sept 2014

On Matthew 20.1-16

I wonder how many times this past week I’ve said – either aloud or just to myself – “that’s not fair!”

The number is probably higher than I would like it to be. In fact, it’s probably a good thing I don’t have a “NOT FAIR!” counter above my head, ticking the numbers off.

I paid 2 cents more for gas than it was in a different town? NOT FAIR!

The person behind me in line scooted over to the newly opened till even though I’d been waiting longer? NOT FAIR!

The package of tortillas had an odd number in it, and I’d planned a meal that needed even pairs? NOT FAIR!

Yup. Silly. But all these instances – and many, MANY more that I’m not going to reveal to you, all have something in common.

It’s all about ME.

Gas prices? Well, they’re always fluctuating. That 2 cents per litre – so what, a dollar a tank. That doesn’t break my budget, doesn’t prevent me from getting to work, doesn’t mean I have to minimize what I spend on food.

The line-shifter at the store? That hasn’t made me any later than I was going to be, and I had the time to be there anyway. Maybe she had kids to get home to, if the bread and peanut butter and animal-shaped cookies in her cart were any indication.

The tortillas? An odd number didn’t ruin my dinner plans, it just changed them. And even then, just barely. They cost what, 25 cents a piece? This is not the end of the world, it’s a 6 inch round piece of flat corn flour and water, stuffed into a package by a machine by weight. No one decided to intentionally ruin by day by changing the number of tortillas in the package.

And yet – these every day things still get us thinking that we have been wronged, that we have been denied, that it’s plain NOT FAIR. It didn’t go our way, it’s not fair. Our inner 4-year-old comes out with a foot-stomping objection whenever it’s not fair.

However! That’s not entirely true, is it? Our inner 4-year-old cries NOT FAIR when it’s not fair for us – but what about when it’s not fair for someone else? Do we even notice?

When we fill the car just before the prices jump – do we give a second thought to the people who didn’t, who will now have to pay that extra 2 cents per litre? Do we cry out NOT FAIR! on their behalf?

When we’re waiting, and a chance comes for us to move along more speedily, do we think about other peoples’ wait times, or do we just move along as quickly as possible? Do we think about how someone else might be thinking NOT FAIR!?

When we’re expecting one thing and get another, only slightly different (and perhaps even better), do we think about the impact on others? My tortilla example: the package said 10, but I had an odd number. Aside from the embarrassment of thinking a tortilla was worthy of saying “NOT FAIR!”, I felt even more ridiculous when I realized that I in fact had gotten an extra – there were 11, making the odd number. But did I even think about the next package which may have in fact only received 9 due to my windfall? Somewhere, there was an inconsistency – but as it didn’t impact me, it didn’t matter. Right?

It’s all about ME. When I want fairness, it’s for ME.

And this is what we all want. I want it to be fair for me, even if that means it’s not fair for you. I want what I want, and I want it now. And when I don’t get it, I’ll claim it’s not fair.

Sigh. Maybe that 4-year-old self isn’t so “inner” after all – maybe she comes out more often than I’d like – every time that “NOT FAIR” counter goes up another number.

And – this is not new. This is not abnormal. This is human nature.

This is exactly what’s happening in today’s Gospel. The labourers are being hired at different times, which means they’re (presumably) accomplishing different amounts of work.

Yet – they all receive the same pay. Hmm. It’s not fair, is it.

Yet again – no one is being denied anything; no one has had anything taken away from them. The all-day workers have been paid exactly the same as they expected and in fact agreed to… had they not seen the others receive their pay, they would not have complained. If they had not started to think themselves superior, they would not have complained. Had they not started expecting more than what was fair, they would not have complained. But they did complain, and were reprimanded for it by the master.

It’s not fair? Why not? They got what was right. It’s just how they chose to interpret what else was going on around them. They were mentally re-negotiating their contract – without the other party being part of the conversation.

And we all know – that’s NOT how it works. It would be like me coming in today and saying “Guess what! I’ve decided you’re going to double my stipend. Retroactively. You can pay me now.” Yes, I think once we stop laughing we can all think of how well THAT would go over! Is it any wonder the household master is frustrated with them! From his perspective, their new expectations are not fair. There’s a lack of fairness all around.

And the real message of this passage is NOT about the money. But Jesus is using the analogy because it’s timeless, and it’s a reference everyone can relate to. You need money, so you have to work; normally what you earn will be directly proportional to how you work. Obviously there are some other factors, but the general rule applies just about any place, any time.

But there’s one exception, one place where it doesn’t apply, and Jesus tells us of that right from the start. This basic rule doesn’t apply in the Kingdom of Heaven. In the kingdom of heaven, Jesus tells us, things aren’t fair.

It’s not fair because there is a place for everyone, no matter how much or how little they are able to contribute. It’s not fair because everyone is welcome to an equal share, no matter how long they have been working. It’s not fair because everyone will be given respect and treated with dignity, no matter their station or situation. It’s not fair because everyone is wanted, whether they came eagerly first thing or had to be sought out at the end of the day.

It’s not fair, because God doesn’t keep track of things the same way we do here on earth; God pours out astonishing amounts grace and love and acceptance to all who want to receive them. God doesn’t portion and divide these gifts, God chooses to flood us all with astounding generosity.

So whether we’ve been a Christ follower all of our lives, or only a few minutes: God gives us all an equal share in the kingdom.

Whether we pray without ceasing or barely get a grace out at family meals;

whether we know our scriptures inside out, or if we had to blow the dust off the Bible last night;

whether we live the good news every moment of our lives, or struggle to apply the Gospel message to every day life;

God gives us all an equal share in the kingdom.

The Kingdom of heaven isn’t fair – it’s right. It is indeed like the landowner, doing us no wrong, but aiming to do right for all who will receive it.

And our challenge this week is to go into the world, forgetting or ignoring all those times where we would cry out “It’s not fair” and instead finding opportunities to see how to make things right for someone else. Let’s live a sample of the generosity of the landowner, and delight in bringing the vineyard to our communities.