Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost: God: The Generous Equal Opportunity Employer

Scriptural Basis

Matthew 20: 1-16 (NRSV)

Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he said to them, `You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o'clock, he did the same. And about five o'clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, `Why are you standing here idle all day?' They said to him, `Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, `You also go into the vineyard.' When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, `Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.' When those hired about five o'clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, `These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' But he replied to one of them, `Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?' So the last will be first, and the first will be last."

Blog Reflection

On September 8th of this year President Barack Obama stood before a joint session of Congress to announce The American Jobs Act.  A plan that is designed to put Americans back to work. 

Since the economic collapse of 2008 and 2009 there remains as of August 2011 fourteen million Americans who are out of work.  The lines at employment offices get longer and longer.  Those in need of unemployment benefits also continues to grow.

Before The American Jobs Act can even get out of the gate already Republicans and corporate CEO's like the Koch Brothers and the United States Department of Commerce are working to lobby against the bill. 

Even with a Democratic super majority in 2009 and 2012 we could not pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) to help insure that individuals are not hired or fired because of sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression.   The Christianist organizations lobby against ENDA calling it "the bathroom bill" because of their bias about transgender individuals. 

There has been a lot of attention over these past couple of years concerning the issue of undocumented workers and the need for immigration reform. 

This year in particular there has been a lot of news about protecting the collective bargaining rights of labor union workers in Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maine and so on. 

The Gospel parable about the land owner and the workers reflects what a generous, equal opportunity employer is like.  The land owner represents God.  God seeks workers for the reign of God from all corners of the world.  God seeks individual people from every nation, race, religion, class, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, language, health and wealth status.

The work God invites all humankind to participate in, is not the work of exclusion or based on a bias of any kind.  The work is not based on whether we are liberal/progressive or a conservative.  The work God employs the people of the earth to is not based on how ambitious or intelligent someone is.

God has a job for all of God's people.  It is the work of sharing God's unconditional and all inclusive love through generous care and concern for all people.  The work God has for us to do is not the kind of job that we get fired from if we are not in agreement with Christianist organizations about how the Bible is to be interpreted.  Individuals who understand the Bible and God's inspired word and read it with a sense of continued wonder, research and interest that goes beyond what it reads so as to understand what it means in an inclusive way.   

The work the God wants you and I to help with welcomes lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and/or queer people. God invites Muslims, Jews, Atheists, Pagans, Hindus, Buddists, Unitarians, Baha'i and so on to participate in the work of justice and equality for all God's people in a world and Church that looks for every reason to exclude or marginalize.

In the reading today from Jonah 3:10-4:11 God had called Jonah to a particular task to spare the City if Nineveh by calling the King and all the land to repentance.  Upon hearing how angry God was at the City for their acts of injustice, the King and city repented and his land was spared.  God saw the change of heart and relented of the calamity it was said God would bring upon the city. 

I personally do not believe God brings natural calamity upon cities or peoples, but in the days of when the text was written, they may have believed that, or written such to get the affect they wanted. 

God had to chill the heart of Jonah. To understand that the work on Nineveh was finished.  As God cares for Jonah through the example of the bush, so God cares for God's people whom God has redeemed.

This narrative is not unlike how many Christianists view the work of LGBTQ people and many others marginalized by the Church and society.  The work for equality cannot be seen for the beautiful and holy work that it is, because of the opinions formed by careless and erroneous interpretations and uses of the Bible.   The Bible is not a weapon of mass destruction toward anyone that is not white, Christian, male, heterosexual and American born.   God's word is about inclusion and justice for all people.  Such is the work the God employs God's people to do.

Not only is God the generous, equal opportunity employer.  God also offers benefits that are out of this world.   The benefits God offers to those whom God employs is the same as anyone God employs and when God employs them.  God's benefits are inclusive, unconditional love.  Forgiveness of all our sins.  Conversion of heart and mind.  The opportunity to be incorporated into God's family that is all humankind.  The benefits that God imparts on us, do not discriminate nor do they separate any person or people based on human bias or denominational conventions or leadership. 

In the reign of God, there are no work place politics, or corporate owners who get all the tax breaks while the middle class and/or poor pay the highest price.  People not corporations get first place in God's reign.  Violence is never the will of God. There are no disqualifying references, nor are those who work less vs those who work more less valued than anyone else.  In God's reign there are no dominionists who promote one religion or way of living, loving or being at the expense of others who are different.

God is the generous, equal opportunity employer with benefits that are out of this world.

Anyone ready to work?


Prayer

Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Proper 20, Book of Common Prayer, page 234).

Heavenly Father, we remember before you those who suffer want and anxiety from lack of work. Guide the people of this land so to use our public and private wealth that all may find suitable and fulfilling employment, and receive just payment for their labor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  (Prayer for the Unemployed, Book of Common Prayer, page 824).

Lord our Governor, bless the leaders of our land, that we may be a people at peace among ourselves and a blessing to other nations of the earth.

Lord, keep this nation under your care.

To all who have executive authority and to all who have administrative authority, grant wisdom and grace in the exercise of their duties.

Give grace to your servants, O Lord.

To those who make our laws give courage, wisdom, and foresight to provide for the needs of all our people, and to fulfill our obligations in the community of nations.

Give grace to your servants, O Lord.

To the Judges and officers of our Courts give understanding and integrity, that human rights may be safeguarded and justice served.

Give grace to your servants, O Lord.

And finally, teach our people to rely on your strength and to accept their responsibilities to their fellow citizens, that they may elect trustworthy leaders and make wise decisions for the well-being of our society; that we may serve you faithfully in our generation and honor your holy Name. For yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Amen. (Prayer for Sound Government, Book of Common Prayer, page 821).