In my haste out the door this morning, I forgot to post this devotional until now…

There is certain unfairness about our salvation. I’ve been a Christian since age 17. I never drank, never smoked, never slept around. I stayed pretty clean all my life. And yet, someone who’s been living like hell, who used and abused others all his life, is going to the same place I am just because He has repented at the end of his wretched life! Where is the fairness in this? All my goodness is to no avail!

This exact story is in Matthew 20. A landowner goes out and hires some men to work in his vineyard at 6 am, promising them one day’s wage. He then hires more men at 9 am. More at 12 noon. More at 3 pm. And some more at 5 pm. When 7 pm rolls around, he gathers all his workers to pay them their wages. He gives one day’s wage to those who were hired at 5 pm! This is unexpected. They only worked 2 hours and they get paid like they worked all day! What do you think those who were hired at 6 am was thinking? “One day’s wage for 2 hours? Since I worked 11 hours… I should get at least 5 days’ worth!!!” But that’s not what happens. Everyone gets the same – one day’s wage. You can understand why some felt it was unfair. But the landowner says to them, “I gave you exactly what I promised. What I do with my money is my right.”

What’s the point? If I felt that I earned my salvation by my good behaviors, then I will feel God is unfair in treating me the same as someone who was bad. But my salvation was NOT earned by me. It was given to me, totally undeserved. So, whether I receive it or someone that I feel is totally undeserving receives it, it is all by the grace and mercy of God. My feeling unfair only comes if my good behavior somehow contributes to my salvation.

Praise God for picking you and me for salvation. None of us deserved it. We deserved death and hell. But He delivered us from it by going to it Himself and gave us a new life! Unfair? Totally! Unfairly awesome, God is…

PH