Not Created Equal

Giving God the glory for our gifts  

Matthew 20:1-16  

Jesus told his disciples this parable: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.’ When those who had started about five o’clock came, each received the usual daily wage. So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’ He said to one of them in reply, ‘My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?

          You know, God is great, but he’s also goofy. Now, I don’t mean any disrespect, but sometimes God doesn’t think like you and me; his behavior is not as logical, or reasonable, or common sensical as we would hope. For example, the Declaration of Independence says, “all men are created equal.” But are all men and women created equal? Does God give equal gifts to everyone? Have you ever heard of Joshua Bell? I bet Nicole Jeter knows who he is. He’s a world-renowned violinist, and he will actually be playing here in Fort Smith on September 11. How many of you have tried to play the violin? Do you play as well as Joshua Bell? Well, why not; after all, aren’t we all created equal? Is it just because you don’t practice enough? No. It’s also because God has given him a gift: the gift of making a piece of wood come to life and dance and sing, like Gepetto made the piece of wood called Pinocchio come to life. In other words, God has not created us equal or the same; he gives his gifts as it suits and serves his pleasure.   

          In the gospel today, Jesus teaches this truth to his apostles, that is, that all men are not created equal. He tells a parable in which a landowner pays his workers in a very illogical, unreasonable, and very non-common sensical way. He pays those who worked one hour as much as those who worked the whole day. The landowner explains his pay policy: “Am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?” You see, the “money” is a symbol of God’s gifts. In other words, God gives as it pleases him, not as it pleases us. That’s why Joshua Bell plays the violin a little better than Nicole Jeter, and why one day she may play the violin better than him.

          Boys and girls, one of the great blessings, but also a great burden of junior high school is that you’re starting to catch that we are not created equal. God gives you some gifts he does not give to others, and others get gifts that you do not. For instance, Salomon Amador runs with the football like a Mack truck; he’d run right through Mr. Plake. But Salamon can’t sing a song to save his life. Gracie Hollenbeck destroys people on the volleyball court, but don’t ask her about her algebra grade. Tommy Caldarera can easily be the captain of any Quiz Bowl team, but don’t expect him to hit the three-point shot. Teachers are not created equal either. At our first assembly, the students cheered a lot louder for Coach Meares than anyone else. I leaned over to Mr. Edwards and said, “I wonder if they’ll cheer that loudly at the end of the school year.” Some of you speak three languages, while some can barely speak one.   

          Here’s my point: God has not created us equal or the same; he’s free to do as he pleases with his gifts. We may not like it; that doesn’t look very logical, but it’s no use complaining like the workers in the vineyard. Here’s what you can do: find your gifts and use them for God’s glory, and praise God for the gifts he gives to others; don’t be jealous. Go to the Joshua Bell concert and give him a standing ovation, and someday maybe others will give you one, too.   

          Praised be Jesus Christ!