Sunday 20th September, 16th Sunday after Trinity

“It’s not fair!” is a theme that ties together our two readings today. Jonah complains that God’s failure to follow through on his prophecy of doom on Nineveh is – frankly – so embarrassing that he wishes he were dead. Then he complains that the bush which was shading him has died, leaving him with a nasty case of sunburn. To which God gently but firmly responds that if Jonah can care so much for a bush, why can’t God show a little mercy to a hundred and twenty thousand people?

Similarly, the workers in the vineyard who were hired in the morning complain that those who were hired at the end of the day got paid the same wage. Where’s the fairness in that? To which the owner gently but firmly responds that they got paid a fair day’s wage, and can’t he do what he wants with his own money?

In both cases, the cry “It’s not fair!” is not based upon the complainer receiving less than they deserve, but upon those who (perhaps) deserve less being given more. But this is the point: grace is about abundant – even scandalous – generosity. Grace is undeserved kindness, unearned love. And let’s be honest with ourselves – if we were to insist that everyone, including us, get only what they deserve, would that leave us better or worse off? Maybe that depends on who I think I am in the story.

Every blessing,

Roger