So the householder said to them: "Go ye also into the vineyard, and
whatsoever is right, that ye shall receive."
And soon the short Eastern twilight came, and then, as a poet says:
"The sun sinks, the stars rush out," and the day was over!
Then the lord of the vineyard said to his steward: "Call the labourers
and give them their hire, beginning from the last ones even to the
first."
So the last men came, who had worked only one hour, and they were each
given the Roman penny.
But when the first ones, who were hired early in the morning, were
given their money, they supposed that they should have received more
for their long day's work. But they each received the Roman penny.
[Illustration: THEY BEGAN MURMURING AGAINST THE GOOD MAN OF THE HOUSE.]
Then they began murmuring against the good man of the house, saying:
"These last have only worked one hour, and thou hast made them equal to
us, who have borne the burden and heat of the day!"
But the lord of the vineyard explained to them that he had given each
man what he had agreed upon; and that he had done them no wrong; for he
said he had a right to do what he willed with his own money.
Now there are several things to learn from this picture story, and as I
go along I think you will see them for yourselves.
The vineyard belongs to the Lord God.
The vines here represent the people in the world whom the Lord wants to
store in His beautiful garner, the Heavenly Home, by and by.
The labourers are God's own people, whom He calls to bring those
precious grapes into the garner.
God calls each one of us who loves Him to be a labourer in His Kingdom.
To one, who is perhaps strong and able, He gives work that will last
him the whole long day of a long life!
Of another, He asks half a lifetime—of another, a quarter of a
lifetime; or only one short hour perhaps!
To each one, when the day is ended, the Lord will give His own reward.
If the worker has been faithful in what has been given him to do, the
Lord of the Harvest will say: "Well done, good and faithful servant,
enter into the joy of thy Lord."
Little children can work for this Heavenly Lord. They can do little
kindnesses for Christ's sake; they can try to be like Jesus. They can
listen for God's commands like little Samuel, and obey Him when He
speaks to them.
These may be like the one hour servants, but they will get their full
rewards!
Some of the servants of the Lord of the Harvest have very hard and
toilsome work to do. He has given them that to do, and He will surely
give them their pay!
What is that pay? Not a Roman penny; not any earthly coins or rewards;
but they are promised that if they are wise, and turn many to
righteousness, they shall shine as the stars for ever and ever!
Does not this encourage us to do what we can to tell others of the love
of Jesus Who died on the Cross that we might be saved?
We can all pray that God will call us to work for Him; and surely, if
He does call and we listen to His Voice, He will teach us how to bring
many to righteousness, and earn "the crown of glory that fadeth not
away!"