By Alyssa Bormes
Photo by Malcolm Carlaw, 2007, flickr.com.
“And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’ He said to one of them in reply, ‘My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?’ Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Matthew 20:11-16)
Oh! The Gospel today is one of those hard ones! We have all been the first workers in the field hoping that we would receive more than those who worked only a short time.
Then there is His question, “Are you envious because I am generous?”
Of course our out loud response is, “No, I’m not envious, but it just doesn’t seem fair.” Which, if we are honest, really translates to, “Yes, of course, I am super envious.”
You may wonder why I am speaking with such authority on this. Well, to put it plainly, I’ve been envious!
Let’s get to the heart of it. When Jesus is doting on someone else, the deepest groaning of our souls may really be this, “I’m afraid Jesus has forgotten me.”
But, it does not mean that He has forgotten you. It’s just that He is doting on someone else. Or, He may be doting on you in a way that you hadn’t thought of; He may be calling you to holiness by withholding consolations.
If you find yourself as the envious one from time to time, remember:
Jesus hasn’t forgotten you!
If you find another as the envious one, remind them:
Jesus hasn’t forgotten you!
And, if you or someone else needs a little help getting through the time of feeling forgotten, just repeat this until you can rest in it:
Jesus, I trust in you! Jesus, I trust in you!
Once we really trust in Him, we will no longer be envious. Instead, we will rejoice in His generosity to another. And it will be very good.
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