"It's Not Fair!"
Sermon Presented September 18, 2005
Matthew 20:1-16
In ancient Greece, the city of Athens erected a statue to honor the champion athlete. An archrival of this athlete was so envious that he secretly pledged to destroy the statue. Each night, under the cover of darkness, he went to the statue and chiseled at its base, hoping to make it fall. Finally, he achieved his goal and the statue toppled. His envy drove him to destroy the statue as well as himself, for when the statue fell, it crushed him.
The New Testament Greek phrase for envy is literally to have an "evil eye." Thus envy is considered the sin of the evil eye. You've probably heard envy referred to as "the green-eyed monster." Envy always sees and desires what it doesn't have, and thus is never satisfied.
Jesus told a story about envy, and Matthew repeated it to his community because of the conflict that existed over the new Christians assuming leadership roles in the church. Why should these newcomers have the same blessings, respect and status as those who have sacrificed for so long? And besides, many of them aren't Jews! Hear the story as recorded in Matthew 20:1-16.
In this story, Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven with a landowner, so we assume that this is a story about God. Early in the morning, the owner of the vineyard goes into the marketplace where workers looking for jobs congregate. (This reminds me of locations in the Southwest where immigrant workers gather, hoping to be hired.) The grapes are ripe and speed in harvesting is crucial. The owner and workers agree to a fair wage and the workers begin working. A few hours later, the owner realizes the need for more help and goes back to the marketplace, hiring more workers with a promise to pay whatever wage is right. This occurs several times during the day with the last group hired only an hour before closing.
At the end of the day, the manager pays all the workers the same wage, and at the owner's instruction, he begins with those hired last. The owner isn't unfair to those hired first because they receive exactly what they bargained for. The problem is that those who put in only one cool evening hour's effort get the same amount as those who toiled all day. If the owner of the vineyard represents God, then God must be shortsighted to give the same pay to those who work 12 hours and those who work only one hour. The owner does the most for those who do the least for him, and all the rationalization in the world doesn't make that fair. It's easier for us to understand the complaints of the all-day workers than the actions of the owner.
When those hired first confront the owner with the unfairness of their treatment, we hear this response: "Friend, you got what was promised. Why are you envious because I am generous?" Instead of receiving more pay, they are accused of jealousy.
I believe that this entire problem could have been avoided if the owner ordered that those hired first be paid first. Then they would have been long gone when the late-arrivals received their pay and would never know what they received. But the owner forces the confrontation when he purposefully sets up the conflict situation by having the first group of workers witness the payment and jubilation of the late arrivals. This is a parable and is designed to teach a lesson, but something is missing here, because we don't get the lesson!
We understand the feelings of the all-day workers! We understand the feelings of professional athletes when a new draftee receives a contract for millions of dollars more than they receive. We understand the feelings of union members when a non-union worker is hired for a greater salary than they. We understand the feelings of students when one who doesn't study makes the top grades, and the feelings of siblings when an inattentive son receives an equal or greater share of the parents' estate. And when we hear the landowner ask the crushing question: "Are you envious because I am generous?" we answer a resounding "Yes!" The offense isn't in how we are treated but in our observation that others are getting more than what we think they deserve in comparison to what we think we deserve.
This is a story about us - you and me! We are the ones who want rewards for what we do. We are the ones who don't want the newcomer to be on the first team, make the same salary, or be chosen for the position we believe we deserve. The truth of the story is as complicated and sad as it is simple and joyous. It's important that we understand our response to the story because this isn't just an ancient story, but one that is relative to all people at all times.
Do you remember how Jonah sat down and pouted when God spared the wicked city of Nineveh because they repented? He wanted God to destroy the Ninevites. He was unhappy that God was gracious. The elder brother thought his father was unfair for throwing a party for his prodigal son's return. "Why, you never threw a party for me!" He was jealous of his father's generosity toward his renegade brother. God's grace is a great equalizer that rips away our presumed place of privilege and puts everyone on an equal basis. This is intolerable at times because we subscribe to a merit system and want to see rewards for our labor. We don't want those who are guilty of things we have long opposed to benefit from God's generosity. It's just not fair!
Let's go back to our text. According to Matthew, Jesus tells this story immediately following Peter's question about the rewards that the twelve disciples will receive because they follow Jesus. Jesus tells Peter that they will be handsomely rewarded and will receive eternal life. Then Jesus tempers that promise with the thought that the rewards will be evened out. He ends his comments to Peter with "But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first." He says that again at the conclusion of this story. This statement goes against the grain of logic.
God gives us all the same thing - not what we deserve or what we've worked for. God is merciful, not fair and this is what mercy looks like. We try to domesticate God and make God predictable. We don't understand God's freedom as being part of the hidden nature or mystery of God. The prophet Habakkuk says that God's ways aren't our ways and that God can use the enemy to achieve God's purposes.
In our own human ways, we want to short-circuit God's grace. We try to strike merit-pay bargains with God and the uncertainty of grace is more than we can take. We want God to give us our due and we work to get what we believe is rightfully ours. And in our dealings, we make God over into our own image.
The owner of the vineyard tells those hired first to take their pay and go! He said: "I choose to give the other workers what I gave you! It's my money and I'll do what I want with it." And then we hear the truth. His words plunge deep into the hearts of all who hear. "Are you jealous because I am generous?"
Jealousy is one of the most difficult sins to overcome. It's something most of us will fight all our lives. "He got more than I did. She really doesn't sing that well! If I had his money, I would command more respect. She's not nearly as smart as she thinks she is. He doesn't deserve that award, I do. Why was she chosen instead of me? How come he got Grandma's china cabinet? Why did she get a raise and not me?" And God says: "Are you jealous because I am generous? Are you jealous because someone has more than you believe they deserve or more than you have? Are you jealous because sometimes good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people?"
Envy doesn't restrict itself to desiring what others have, being sorrowful over another's success and joyful over their failure, or using unworthy means to acquire what it covets; sometimes jealousy takes a strange twist. We really want others to envy us.
Thorstein Veblen, an American economic theorist, claims that the spending habits of people are highly influenced by the psychic enjoyment that comes from getting others to long for what they have. It's Veblen's contention that it's possible to get people to buy products that aren't particularly superior in quality or products they can't really afford by publicizing widely that the products are very expensive. This practice which Veblen calls "conspicuous consumption" motivates people to buy expensive automobiles or TVs because the buyers know that most other people recognize that these products are very expensive. It makes others believe they are successful. I know a man who once owned a Rolls Royce. He said he bought it because it was superior workmanship and he admires superior workmanship, but I wonder. That expensive car was a symbol of his success. (When it wouldn't start after taking it to Leavenworth, KS, he had it towed back to St. Joseph and sold it.)
We are all guilty of envy at times - probably more than we choose to admit. So, what do we do about it? How do we get rid of the green-eyed monster?
First, we need to recognize envy and name it for what it is. Hopefully we will ask God to help us do something about it, once we recognize it in our lives. Remember, this is a sin that hurts us more than anyone else.
Next we need to accept ourselves and God's gifts in us - however modest or abundant, making the most of them and cultivating gratitude and generosity. We can pray that God will enable us to recognize our worth and improve our abilities.
Another suggestion is to carefully consider the ones we envy. Sometimes we are envious of people and don't realize that there's nothing in their lives to envy. Things aren't always as they seem. What seems most desirable on the surface may actually cover great suffering and anguish.
Also, consider how envy may be causing you to whittle away at the base of the statue erected to honor another through your derogatory comments or slights toward the person. Try to understand why you do this and then seek God's forgiveness.
Life brings us many insights into unfairness toward
us. How we deal with these situations and our resulting envy will show
us a great deal about how closely we walk with God. The God we worship
isn't always fair! God is generous and merciful! Thank God!
