Proper 20A +Last-first + 9.24.23

M. Campbell-Langdell

All Santos, Oxnard

(Exodus 16:2–15; Ps. 105:1–6, 37–45; Philippians 1:21–30; Matthew 20:1–16)

 

“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

These words bookend today’s passage from Matthew 20. It is the last phrase Jesus utters before our reading today and the last words of this passage.
And from these words I draw the conclusion: the Kingdom of Heaven is not fair!

Ahhh, fairness. Who here has siblings? I remember being a kid and frequently (probably annoyingly) saying to my parents that “it was not fair!” when my younger brother was treated in a way that I perceived as different than the way I was treated. And I remember my parents really trying to be fair with us. But it was not possible. Anyone I speak to who has multiple children will tell you that each child has their own personality and needs different things. One mom I spoke to the other day said one of her children is grumpy, the other is feisty, the other is a joker, the other talks back, and so forth! I almost thought I was hearing a description of the seven dwarves in Snow White!
And this is a bit like us with God. God knows we each need different things.

And in this way, the Kingdom of heaven is not about equality, but about equity. What is the difference? I heard the other day that equality is where everyone gets the same thing, but equity is where each person gets what they need in order to have equal access to a social good. A classic image of this shows two pictures side by side. In these two images, there is a set of three people, one a fully grown adult, another a child, and other a smaller person in a wheelchair. And they are at a ballgame next to a fence. In the first image, displaying equality, in order to watch the game, they have all been given a box to stand on. The adult is up higher than they need to be to see the game on the block, the child is barely able to see with one block under them and the person in the wheelchair is next to the block looking at the fence and unable to see. They have all been given the same thing but do not all have access to viewing and enjoying the game. In the image displaying equity, the adult does not have a block under them, but can see. The child has two blocks under them and is able to see well, and there is a ramp upon which the person in a wheelchair is viewing the game. The second is equity. They have not all been given the same thing, but they all have access to taking part in the pastime of enjoying baseball. Or if you prefer, football or soccer!

In a similar way, I see today’s parable as one of equity rather than equality. The first folks show up early and work a full day, sometimes in the full heat of the sun. The second group is gathered around 9 o’clock and work a goodly amount, what we would call a full day. And other groups are gathered and sent to the vineyard at noon, three and even five pm, almost the end of the day. Then at the end of the day, what happens? The ones who enter last get the full wage first, followed by the others until all are paid. But those who worked long hours in the heat expect a bonus, and they get the same. At first, it seems pretty unfair. And the landowner calls them out. He says “are you envious because I am generous?” One commentator pointed out that he actually says “do you have the evil eye because I am generous?”[1] He is pointing out that it doesn’t help them to compare with others. Each one gets exactly what they need, no more and no less.
As a parable of equality, this message stinks. Why is Jesus so discriminatory against the earlier workers? It just doesn’t seem right. But if you see it from a standpoint of equity, it begins to make more sense. I think of this in terms of equal access to dignity – everyone in this parable is given the dignity of being provided the daily wage for showing up and working. The first workers were the ones who were young and strong and able bodied. They would have been offended had they just worked a couple of hours and gotten the daily wage. They needed to work and get out of their family’s hair. They had energy to burn! The other groups may have been the dawdlers, but perhaps they needed to do more at home to help out an infirm family member or a younger sibling, or go and get water from the well, or walk a good distance to get to the town square. Perhaps each of them were trying the best they could and showed up as best they could. Perhaps that last group wanted to work but were dealing with physical maladies and being called out to the vineyard at the end of the day to do a little bit of work was what they could do. If I could take a liberty, I might add a group that couldn’t even come to the vineyard but was recognized as sharing their wisdom with the workers or sharing whatever gift they could even if it was not physical labor. Another potential layer – what if those who came later were able to give the others a break after they had labored in the heat of the day. And each gets just what they need.

So there is good news here, and a challenge. First, the challenge. Stop comparing yourself with others, Jesus seems to say. Don’t get all evil-eyed because someone else seems to have more than you, or have gotten more for what they did than you got even though you worked harder. Later in Philippians, Chapter 2 verses 3-4 it says: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.” The funny trick of the gospel is, when we can see that our sibling in Christ is blessed, even if it seems more than our blessing, and we can rejoice, then we will find joy. We find joy not just in the meeting of our own needs, but in seeing others blessed. We may be the last, but we feel like the first.

Back to the image, the adult who is watching the ballgame loses something. They had a block to stand on and they end up giving it the child, and perhaps helping build the ramp for the person in a wheelchair. But I like to think they are happier in the equity version of the image. Because everyone is able to enjoy the game together.

And that brings me to the good news. God knows what you need, and will give it to you. God is generous like the landowner here! If you strive in Christ to follow God, and do your part, eventually your needs will be met. So do not be anxious about earthly things. God’s got you. You do your part, and the other will flow. Perhaps each of us is also in charge of helping others a bit too, as we can. Constructing a ramp, giving away our blocks to stand on if we have a surplus. This can be physical or metaphorical. I think about how Beto put Rowena's new bed together so she wouldn't fall off. Because when all are treated with dignity, when the passion for justice is tempered with love of our neighbor, when we go beyond basic equality and towards true inclusion of all, then we will see the kingdom at work! Then we will eat our daily bread and watch the game together and enjoy! Praise God. Amen.

 

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[1] #922: 17th Sunday after Pentecost (Ord. 25A) – Sept. 24, 2023 - Working Preacher from Luther Seminary (Sermon Brainwave for 24 September 2023).