Begrudging Generosity: Matthew 20:1-16

Begrudging generosity:

Jesus tells us of a parable where a master hired servants throughout the day to work his field. At the end of the day, the master paid all who worked, whether all day or one hour, the same wage. Those who worked all day, were upset that the master had paid those working only one hour, the same wage. The master replies and says, "Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?"

How many times have we begrudged generosity, whether it be God's generosity towards others, or generosity generated by others? The servants who complained were focused on what the master had done for others, rather than focusing on what the master had done for them.They neglected to see the generosity of the master that had invited them to work in his field. 

The truth of the matter is that people begrudge generosity when they begin to implement the fairness doctrine. From a human perspective, what may be fair to us, is injustice towards God. What may be fair to God, is injustice to us. And there is the issue of sin everyone has to encounter. Encountering someone else's sin may invoke unfairness to another. But, when God interacts with humanity, you can trust that he will be fair, for he is a just God. Therefore, we must submit to the providence and sovereignty of God because he is just. Will there be times where someone else's blessing can be misconstrued by us as being unfair? Yes. However, what we need to remember is the lesson of the servant who begrudged God's generosity. When that happens, let us remember the good, the blessings, the grace, and the mercy that God has shown us, rather than nitpicking God's grace, mercy, and blessings towards others. Let us be thankful for what God has done for us!