Starting at the Back
Matthew 20:8 (CEB) · The Gospel on Stage and Screen
“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and give them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and moving on finally to the first.’” — Matthew 20:8 (CEB)
The landowner could have paid the early workers first and sent them home. Nobody would have seen what the latecomers received. Nobody would have complained.
Instead, he starts at the back of the line. He makes grace visible on purpose.
This is not an accident. The landowner wants everyone to see what generosity looks like when it isn’t measured by merit. He wants the full-day workers to watch as the one-hour workers receive a full day’s wage. He wants the math to be public.
Grace that hides is safe. Grace that shows itself creates a reaction. And God seems uninterested in keeping grace hidden. The whole story of scripture is God making love visible, in burning bushes, in bread broken, in a cross on a hill.
Where is grace showing itself to you today?
Generous God, you don’t hide your goodness. You make it visible for everyone to see. Help us recognize the grace unfolding around us today. Amen.