我們在天堂所積蓄的賞賜并不正比于我們做基督徒的時間。如果一個人很年輕就做了基督徒，他在几十年裏勤勤肯肯地過基督徒的生活，但最終所得也許會與一個在晚年成為基督徒，只在死前不久過基督徒生活的人相同。
類似地，如果兩個人同時成為基督徒，但一個比另一個死得早。那么死得早的所做的工也許會少些，但因為先進入安歇，就比那個做工更久，後進安歇的人更早享受財富。
“我的東西難道不可隨我的意思用嗎？因為我作好人，你就紅了眼嗎？”這句話提醒我們，我們是在神的恩典之下做事的。的確，作為神的仆人，我們根本就不應該要神給我們任何報酬。
這個寓言的另一側面則是考慮那些找了一整天工作，直到很晚才找到雇主的人的處境。任何一個曾失過業，在積蓄漸盡的窘況下花几個月時間找工作的人都會知到所面臨的困難和壓力。在這裏，這些人似乎只是沒有遇到合適的機遇。而這位家主，因為是一個富有恩慈的人，想幫助這些機遇的受害者，給他們與那些因為機遇能夠早來工作的人一樣多的工錢。在生活中成功的人往往自負，看不起那些不幸的人，而沒能看到他們成功的很大的因素是他們控制之外的機遇。
考慮那些在後半生才成為基督徒的人。若撇開開爾文的哲學，如果他們死得早些，他們就已經進地獄了。在認識基督以後，若讓挑選的話，我想其中的大多數都會選擇早些得救的，竟管這意味著他們要工作得久一些。
Rap| There once was a man who owned a vineyard
And needed some men to work very hard He hired some men early in the day And told them a denarius would be their pay And every few hours he hired more men Telling them the same again and again Then in the evening he gave them their wage But the ones who came early expressed outrage "We worked harder than anyone here. Aren't you being just a bit unfair." "I'm not being unfair to you. A denarius was what you agreed to." Now take your pay and go. Even though you thinks it's low. For I'll be gracious to whom I want. I'll be generous even though you aren't. For many who are victims of circumstance. And hiring you early was a matter of chance. There are Christians who live quite a long time. Laboring all day taking care of the vine. But some get saved after they are old Or live a short while after entering the fold But nonetheless on judgement day Both may end up receiving the same pay For the point is not simply doing his biz But rather revealing how gracious he is. |