Matthew 20
This is one of the stories told by Jesus:
“A man went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. When he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
“He went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market place, and he said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
“Again he went out about the sixth and ninth. hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, ‘Why stand ye here all the day idle’? They say unto him, ‘Because no man hath hired us.’ He saith unto them, ‘Go ye also into the vineyard and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.”
When the day’s work was done, the owner told the caretaker to pay each man the same,—a penny (which was of value about 15 cents). The men who had worked all day, were angry that the men who worked only part of the day, should be given the same money as they.
But the owner told them he had given them what he had agreed, and had done them no wrong. But because he was kind, he had given the same to those who had not been sent so early. Jesus said this was like the kingdom of heaven; goodness would be shown to all. Those who, deserved little would be most grateful, would they not?
The mother of two disciples, sons of Zebedee, came to ask Jesus for the places of high honor for them. Jesus answered that those places would be given by God the Father. But He said if any would be great they should serve others:
“Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Those are very wonderful words, for “to minister” means to serve others; Jesus came to serve while on earth, and to give His life to save, to ransom, all who would believe Him. He was then on the way to Jerusalem where He knew He would suffer and die, yet He kept on doing good, “serving” the needs of the people.
As Jesus and the disciples walked along the highway, many people joined them. At one place there were two blind men sitting by the road. It seems they had before heard of Jesus and His power to heal, and they believed He was the holy One to come from God, so when they learned He was passing so near them, they called out to Him,
“Have mercy on us, O Lord, Thou Son of David.”
The people told them to keep still, but Jesus was willing, as always, to know the need, and He asked what they wished Him to do for them. They said, “Lord, that our eyes be opened”. They meant that they should see.
Jesus touched their eyes and healed them, and they showed their gratitude by going on with Him. It must have been very blessed for them to see Him.
ML 08/08/1943