WE DON’T WANT WHAT IS FAIR—WE WANT GRACE
Matthew 20:1-16
Charlie Brown’s little sister, Sally, is writing a letter to Santa Claus and in the process generates an enormous list of toys she wants. At the conclusion of her letter she writes, “Santa, if that is too much for you to carry, just send cash.” When Charlie Brown sees this and despairs over his sister’s greed, Sally angrily responds, “All I want is my fair share. All I want is what I have coming to me.” We all want life to be fair to us, but when it comes to salvation, “We Don’t Want What Is Fair. We Want Grace!” Jesus’ parable about the workers in the vineyard helps us to understand this great Biblical truth.
Peter had asked Jesus a serious question. Jesus tells a parable about a landowner who pays equal wages for workers who do not work equal hours. Everybody is treated the same! Jesus is telling Peter that he will receive the same reward for his discipleship as everyone else. This parable is not about receiving what is fair. It’s about grace.
The person who accepts Jesus late in life is just as saved and just as important as the person who accepts Jesus early in life. Romans 6:23 reminds us of what we deserve and of what God gives us instead: “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life….” Instead of giving us what we deserve, punishment for our sins, God gives us what we don’t deserve, grace. When it comes to salvation, “We Don’t Want What Is Fair. We Want Grace!”