On Generosity and Equality

Or, why we (secretly) rejoice at others' sufferings and begrude their successes. Come on, we all do it.

Jesus tells a Kingdom of Heaven parable in the gospel lesson for this coming Sunday (Sept. 21). He says the kingdom is like workers in a vineyard, some work a whole day, some only an hour, and all get the same daily wage. The landowner asks those who grumble, "Are you envious because I am generous?"

Well, yeah! It's not fair! Seems like when I work hard, I should be rewarded. That's what I learned on the farm, anyway. In this world, that's how it works. But God's kingdom is different.

God's kingdom isn't fair. Of course it isn't. If it was, I'd be in big trouble for every malicous thought, every white lie and every silent rage against those who frustrate me.

So the kingdom isn't fair. But it's equal. And it's good. God loves us equally. There's nothing I can do to make God love me more, nothing to make God love me less. God loves me (a long-suffering Lutheran pastor!) as much as the elderly prison inmate who comes to know Christ at life's end. Yeah, it's not fair. But God is good.

We do begrudge God's generosity, though we might better be grateful for it. It's hard sometimes to be rejoice for a friend's success or good news. It's easy sometimes to be secretly happy when the friend has a tough time. I remember when a long-term boyfriend ended our relationship during seminary (I thought we were getting married) and two weeks later my roommate/best friend got engaged. It was so difficult to be happy about anything, least of all for my friend. But somehow God surprised me and I could celebrate her engagement while I mended my broken heart.

Bottom line: God is recklessly, wildly generous. No matter if we're up or down, that abundant love is with us. No matter if our friends are up or down, that abundant love is with them. We have all we need; God fills us. This is God's kingdom: a place where things don't always make sense, but where God is still God. And good.