So the last shall be first, and the first last.
Matthew 20:16 (NASB1995)
This profound declaration from our Lord Jesus Christ comes at the conclusion of the parable of the vineyard workers (Matthew 20:1-16), where those hired at the end of the day (the eleventh hour) received the same wage as those who laboured all day. Some think this parable speaks of the way that people come to God at different stages of their lives. Some come at the beginning of their life, in their youth, in adulthood, in old age, or in the very last hours of their life.
It is best understood as a parable about the grace and reward of those who serve God. The verse speaks plainly about God’s grace when He rewards and blesses man; it is according to His will and pleasure, and not necessarily according to what we think we deserve, and unlike the ungrateful laborers, we should be thankful for whatever the Lord rewards us with.
Dear Reader, to begrudge others their reward is sinful, and it shows that our eyes are not focused on glorifying our Lord and Saviour. May we come before our Lord Jesus with grateful hearts each day – receiving our own reward from Him.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Devotional Treasures
