Working in the vineyard

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This Gospel reading comes from Matthew 20:

Jesus told his disciples this parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 

Going out about nine o'clock, the landowner saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and he said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.' So they went off. And he went out again around noon, and around three o'clock, and did likewise. 

Going out about five o'clock, the landowner found others standing around, and said to them, 'Why do you stand here idle all day?' They answered, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard.'

When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.' When those who had started about five o'clock came, each received the usual daily wage. So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying, 'These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day's burden and the heat.' 

He said to one of them in reply, 'My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?' Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last." 

I don't know about you, but I must admit that I best understand the attitude of the grumblers who think it unfair that the latecomers were paid the same amount as those who'd worked all day. I suspect most people would have a similar reaction if they'd been working in the fields all day.

As I think about this, I think about the different sorts of coworkers I've had through the years. There are those who work their fannies off, taking pride in their work but not fully satisfied unless their photo is up on the board as "employee of the month". At the opposite extreme are those who will work extremely hard to avoid working at all. There are those who will do the bare minimum, then display a burst of energy when the time for performance evaluations rolls around. There are those who will do a good job - although probably not an excellent job - but who work solely for the paycheck. So there's really no enthusiasm for the job until payday. Work is a necessary evil. Some become preoccupied with the salaries of others and spend useless time making comparisons: Why does (s)he make more than me - I think I deserve at least that much!

I think Jesus would most approve of a different sort of worker than those listed above. I've run across a few in the workplace. These folks work steadily and well, but they don't seek or require recognition. They appreciate the paycheck, but it's only one source of the reasons they find satisfaction in their jobs. They take pride in performing their tasks, but they do so all year long... not simply to score a good evaluation or a raise.

It might be a good idea to reflect on what sort of worker I am, don't you think?