The Evil Eye

“Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?” (Mt 20:15 AV)

This question was asked in the parable of the day workers.  The husbandman hired three different crews at three different times of the day.  He agreed with the first crew for a penny a day.  He never made arrangements for the next two crews hired later in the day.  When pay time came around, he gave each worker a penny.  Those hired at the beginning of the day were envious at those who were hired later in the day because they received the same pay.  This parable is a hard one to internalize because it would be our human nature to feel as the first crew felt.  If the husbandman was going to be generous to the those hired later in the day, perhaps they would receive more than they had agreed to.  What we want to consider this day is the question which the husbandman asked.  It is a probing and convicting question.  It is a question of the depth of gratitude, mercy, and grace that would be in our own heart as opposed to envy and a false sense of justice.

To explain exactly what it is which the master is speaking, one must understand the principle of available opportunity.  Those hired later in the day were not lazier than those hired in the beginning of the day.  All day laborers were in the marketplace seeking work.  They were there all day long.  Therefore, the master decided to pay them commensurate to their dedication as opposed to their time labored.  The question was not one of desire for work.  The question was not one of ethics.  The question was not one of fairness.  The principle at hand was one of opportunity.  Where this husbandman was concerned, he would have been just to pay those who came later a lower wage.  We know this because of how he characterized the payment.  It was an exercise of grace and not entitlement.  This parable is not a parable supporting communism or socialism.  It is a parable that illustrates how a gracious God is good to all those who are willing, yet lack the opportunity.

The real consideration is how we might react if God’s grace was bestowed on another.  This is a perfect picture of salvation.  Salvation is the same to everyone.  Regardless of means by which it came.  Whether early in life, as when someone accepts Christ as a child.  Or in the middle of life, as when accepts Christ as a young person or adult.  Or maybe later in life, as when someone accepts Christ well into their mature years.  Grace is the same.  On a more temporal level, there are times when the LORD blesses others to the same degree in which He blesses us.  We should feel happy for them.  There is no excuse for envy over God’s grace towards others.  This was Jonah’s sin.  We should rejoice no matter how God desires to show His grace.  As Paul says, we should rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.  God is good to all of us and grants us far more than we deserve.  There should be absolutely no complaints, because if we got what we deserved we would split hell wide open!