Gospel Reflections #76: How God's Love Transforms Our Personal Standards

Matthew 20:15 "Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’"

This is part of what the master said when the workers in the vineyard complained of injustice. God does things according to His standards and we judge things by our standards. Supposedly, workers should give priority and respect to their employer's standards, however many times, we insist on what we think is right and we do not break our own personal standards.

God's will is immeasurable for us. And God's will/standard is love! The last person hired at the end of the day would most likely be the one who has experienced God's grace. The other workers experienced and chose to see only the rewards, not the grace.

Grace is given to those who should not be given it, and even to those who do not value it, but not as a reward for their labor. God gives grace generously to those who ask. God seems to be doing what He wants with these words, but God's love is sacrificial love, and the Master of the vineyard is the Master who sweats and works to please us and the laborers.

Under the cross, we are all sinners and we are all on equal footing. There are no good or bad sinners. From God's perspective, we are all sinners. It is God who works without rest for the sake of sinners. To labor with God is work filled with joy, gratitude, and hope. Complaints and grievances are melted away by God's love. And our standards are also changed by God's love. Our own standards melt away in God's love.

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This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, a devoted student of the Bible who passionately embraces the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on the Gospels as a way to reach out to others and spread the message of Jesus. We're sharing her message here so that you too can experience the joy that comes from the Gospel that has filled her heart.