The Right Perspective

     I was thinking upon the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32 and the parable of the workers in the vineyard in Matthew 20:1-16.
     In the parable of the prodigal son, the son that stayed with his father was upset at his father for giving a celebration for his brother, who had spent all his money then returned home. He complained that his father never did anything like that for him and he pointed out that he was the loyal son who stayed with him. His father explained his reason for the celebration that he was giving for his brother. He said in Luke 15:32 "It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found."
     In the parable of the workers in the vineyard the owner of the vineyard hired labors to work in the field and he told them that he would pay them a coin for their day's work. He hired different workers throughout the day and even on the last hour of the day he hired workers. When it was time to stop the work, he had his foreman to call them all together for so to receive their wage. The ones who worked at the beginning of the day were not happy when they saw the people who had worked only one hour and got the same wage as they got. The owner said to one of them that was complaining in Matthew 20:13,14 "But he replied to one of them, "Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? ,¹⁴Take what belongs to you and go, I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you."
     In the parables, both the son and the workers complained that they were being treated unfairly. They both thought that they deserved something more but they both missed the point of what had happened. When the prodigal son left his home he was in a spiritually dead condition and so was the people who were not working in the field. Romans 5:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." This is what the father was celebrating, his son who was spiritually dead will now have eternal life. The workers in the field represented the disciples of Jesus Christ, who are brought into his service and no matter how long they have been a christian each will equally receive the same reward which is eternal life. So there was no real reason to complain both the prodigal son and the workers were spiritually dead and now they are alive, they were spiritually lost and now they are found.
     Being imperfect humans that we are, we do sometimes miss the point and think to ourselves that we are being treated unfairly. We sometimes cannot grasp the whole picture and understand what we need to know. The brother of the prodigal son lost sight of the understanding if his brother were to die in his sinful state there would be no reunion after death. The workers in the field lost sight of the consequences of anyone who was not in the field it would mean their eternal death. It does not really matter in what condition someone comes to God or if it's the last hour of his or her's life. What matters is they are now spiritually alive and will receive eternal life and be with us in God's kingdom.
     With God we have a hope of eternal life without him we have only death. Just like in Noah's day those who stand inside of the ark will live and those who are on the outside will perish. I believe that is why our religious relatives nag us to go to church and give our lives over to God because they want to see us in the resurrection. They love us and want us to be with them forever.