Matthew 20:- The parable of the workers in the vineyard

Matthew 20:- The parable of the workers in the vineyard

By: Nathlee Grant

I read this scripture more than once, and during reading I feel the same way the workers felt, who worked the full day. I shared their anger and just exploded during reading, this happen every single time I read this passage, how can they work such short time and get the same paid as I do. But stop this is what landowner said, why are you angry, is it because you are bad mind or because I am generous? Whoops, I didn’t think about that, I just felt it wasn’t right and saw a bit of unfairness, but again what is unfair about it, I agreed to work for a denarius (a day’s wage) I am thinking now that it could really be bad mind, jealousy is probably a better word.

In all honesty, real life situation now, this is happening to me, “MAN “this landowner prefer those lazy worker more than me, how can I work so hard and he couldn’t see it fit to “up” increase my wage a little but instead pay us the same, in other words him up theirs, here it comes again is it always about the “ME”, Now I am moving in another direction, this is not even jealousy this is selfishness. Why couldn’t I see from beginning that the landowner is trying to give everybody an equal opportunity….. But you know what is true about this feeling, it is REAL and lives deep within, and even when we can theoretically give the appropriate answer, our habitual reaction/ learnt action would always manifest itself first, our real feeling. This is so deep and grounded that even after the fact, Let me talk about me now, and I say to self, “child you know you could have done it this way”, the truth is the next time which is sometimes just a minute afterward, my habitual reaction seemed to always get there first . Question, what is the drilling process that can be used to override this habit and create a new response method in dealing with the situation, the correct way?  Similar as in the case of those constant fire drills, these drills are done to ensure employees do not jump through the window from the top floor in the event of a fire. Trust me it is always easy to say what you would have and would not do in any given situation, until you are in the position. Peter told Jesus confidently, that  he would not betrayed him and you know the story, when he was put in the situation he betrayed Christ, I am sure if he had some test runs/drills, he would have probably reacted differently. Well we can also say he did not pray to be protected, but even after prayer there is something that we need to do, “PRACTICE” and again, what should I practice?

These learnt ways we have acquired from birth, that caught root, the only way we know to do the things we do, even when it is not working, but our minds are already conditioned, we even get defensive, upset when we are questioned about these ways, which we have already deemed to be right. Where do we begin to unlearn, relearn then retrained our minds? Think on this, are we robots to this world system?