“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

This passage reveals the fifth time in one day that the owner of the vineyard went out and hired more workers.  Each time he found people idle and hired them on the spot, sending them to the vineyard.  We know the end of the story.  Those who were hired late in the day, at five o’clock, were paid the same wage as those who worked all day long.

One lesson we can take from this parable is that God is exceptionally generous and it is never too late to turn to Him in our need.  Too often, when it comes to our life of faith, we sit around “idle all day.”  In other words, we can easily go through the motions of having a faith life but fail to actually embrace the daily work of building up our relationship with our Lord.  It’s much easier to have an idle faith life than one which is active and transforming.

We should hear, in this passage, an invitation from Jesus to get to work, so to speak.  One challenge that many face is that they have spent years living an idle faith and do not know how to change that.  If that is you, this passage is for you.  It reveals that God is merciful to the end.  He never shies away from bestowing His riches on us no matter how long we have been away from Him and no matter how far we have fallen.  

Reflect, today, upon the level of commitment with which you are living your faith.  Be honest and reflect upon whether you are more idle or hard at work.  If you are hard at work, be grateful and remain committed without hesitation.  If you are idle, today is the day our Lord invites you to make a change.  Make that change, get to work, and know that our Lord’s generosity is great.

Lord, help me to increase my commitment to living my life of faith.  Allow me to hear Your gentle invitation to enter into Your Vineyard of grace.  I thank You for Your generosity and seek to receive this freely given gift of Your mercy.  Jesus, I trust in You.

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