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Going out about five o’clock, he found others standing around, and
said to them, “Why do you stand here idle all day?” They answered,
“Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You too go into my
vineyard.” Matthew 20:6–7
These are very generous words spoken by the landowner. As the
parable explains, this landowner hired workers for his vineyard
early in the morning, and then again at nine o’clock, noon, three
o’clock and finally at five o’clock. But at the end of the day, he
paid them all the same daily wage as if they had all been working
since early morning. The ones hired first were upset thinking it
was unfair that those who worked just an hour were paid the same
wage as they were. But the landowner concludes, “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? Are you envious because I am generous?”
God, in His mercy, is generous beyond comprehension. But we, as
fallen humans, are constantly examining whether we are getting our
fair share and comparing ourselves to others. We tend to want more
and more and easily become envious when we see others succeed or
receive blessings that we do not have. For example, if someone is
more popular than us on social media, or drives a nicer car, or has
a bigger home, or goes on an expensive vacation, we often tend to
notice with a sort of sorrow that we do not have what they do. And
that is envy.
The cure for envy is wholehearted generosity. Not just generosity
with our money but generosity with our affections and our ability
to rejoice in the blessings that others receive. For example, if
someone were to tell you that they were going on a nice vacation
next month to a place you always wanted to go, how would you react?
You might jokingly say, “Wow, I’m jealous!” Jealousy can quickly
turn into envy, which is a form of sorrow over the blessings
another has that you do not. And that sorrow over the blessings of
another can subsequently turn to anger.
These workers in the vineyard who worked all day and received the
same amount as those who worked only one hour could have responded
by congratulating the later workers and could have even jokingly
said, “Lucky you, I wish I would have shown up at five o’clock!”
But instead, they grumbled and tried to interfere with the
generosity of 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.” Again, this is envy, in that their sorrow
over the generosity of the landowner led them to try to interfere
with the blessing the others received.
Whenever you notice this form of unholy sorrow within you, take
notice. It means that you lack a selfless generosity toward others.
And if you see God blessing another in spiritual riches, try to
generously rejoice in that. Offer praise and thanks to God for His
goodness. Don’t dwell on yourself and dismiss every temptation to
compare. In many ways, everyone of us is represented by those who
worked only one hour and received the full daily wage. This is
because we could never earn the grace of salvation. The one and
only reason we are able to receive the gift of eternal salvation
and every other grace given to us by God is because God is
infinitely generous. Therefore, the goodness and generosity of God
must be our constant focus, and we must rejoice in that generosity
when it is given to us and when it is also given to
others.
Reflect, today, upon any tendency you have toward envy. Think about
the blessings that others have been given that you have not.
Sincerely look at your interior reaction to that and pray that God
will grant you the gift of being able to be generous in your
rejoicing in those blessings. Every blessing given by God must be
the cause of our joy, no matter if those blessings are bestowed
upon us or upon others.
My most generous Lord, You bestow Your blessings upon all in
superabundance. When I witness the ways that others are blessed by
You, help me to foster a sincere gratitude for all that they have
received. Help me truly rejoice in the many ways You bless all Your
people. Free me from envy, dear Lord, so that I am not burdened
down by that ugly sin. Jesus, I trust in You.
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Featured image above: Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard
By Johann Christian Brand, via Web Gallery of Art
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