Verse: Matthew 20:1-16
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. “About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went.
“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around.
He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ “‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’ “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’ “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius.
So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’
“But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
Thoughts
How often do you look at others and compare yourself to them? Be honest! :)
We compare so many things don't we? How we look, how we dress, what grades we get, how our voice sounds, how we play sports, our popularity, hair color, skin, body type, and the list goes on and on.
Have you heard the saying that nobody wins with comparisons? It's true. Comparing yourself to others doesn't help you, and it doesn't help your relationship with the other person either!
When you compare yourself, you are setting yourself up for either PRIDE or INSECURITY. You are either thinking more highly of yourself than you should, or more lowly of yourself than you should. And you are basing your thoughts about yourself on other people rather than on God.
I'm not saying it's easy. But our self evaluation should be on God's Word and what he says about us. He has created us each so individually and with such diversity, that to wish we were someone else is to reject part of his unique design. You might not be great at sports, but you might be a great listener. You might not have the hair you always wanted, but you have a great heart of service. You might not have tons of money, but you have a generous spirit.
The things that God values aren't the things the world values. Let's compare ourselves to who God is calling us to be, rather than to other people! Then we will find a more peaceful, hopeful, place to grow from.
Prayer
Keep my eyes focused on you Jesus, and not longing to be like the others who pass me by.