Do you sometimes feel God is unfair?
THROUGH UNTRUE
Many people harbor the feeling that God does not love them. In fact, they perceive Him as unjust because of unanswered prayers, prolonged periods of suffering, or the occurrence of tragic events in their lives. Frequently, they find themselves questioning why a benevolent and omnipotent God would permit them to endure unwanted hardships.
Although it may seem morbid to view oneself as a victim of God's action or inaction, some people find a wicked delight in feeling this way. It gives them the justification to blame God for every injustice and unfairness they experience. They would say, "God is powerful and just, so why did He not prevent this from happening? Why does God grant others their desires while leaving me with their leftovers? It's not fair!"
The parable narrated in today's gospel reading (Matthew 20:1-16) appears to support the notion that God is indeed unfair. Jesus recounts the story of a landowner who hired unemployed men to work in his vineyard for a daily wage they had agreed upon. While these men worked, the owner continued hiring additional laborers in midmorning, at noon, and late afternoon.
When it was time for them to receive their compensation, those who had worked since morning expected a higher wage than those who were hired later. To their dismay, all the laborers received the same wage, regardless of the number of hours they had worked. Consequently, those who worked the whole day grumbled and complained, feeling unjustly treated by the vineyard owner.
The vineyard owner explained that he had not committed any injustice. Firstly, he offered them employment out of his own initiative, and secondly, he adhered to the terms of the contract they had agreed to. He had no obligation to pay them more than the initially agreed-upon wage. He further emphasized that how he used his money was his prerogative and asked, "Are you jealous because I'm generous?"
That question leads us to the main point of the parable. To better appreciate the story, we should refrain from viewing it through the lens of strict justice. Often, we mistakenly treat our relationship with God as a transactional agreement. We assume that if we do something for Him, then He is obligated to reciprocate. When we remain faithful to Him, we expect Him to fulfill our requests. When God does not conform to this pattern, we feel cheated.
The parable, in contrast, highlights God's generosity rather than rigid justice. It portrays God as a vineyard owner who offers everyone an equal chance to experience his love and forgiveness. We should be thankful that God is not bound by our notion of fairness because, if He were, we would only receive what we truly deserve.
From this perspective, it becomes evident that the laborers' resentment stems from envy rather than a genuine concern for justice. Envy is rooted in the misguided belief that the blessings enjoyed by others somehow diminish the amount of blessings accessible to us. But God's love is an infinite resource that grows and multiplies when shared. Envy misleads us into thinking that everyone is a competitor, trying to snatch from us our limited portion of God's love. This causes odious comparisons, conflicts, and even violence.
Today's gospel reading assists us in finding meaning in our encounters with unfairness and, ultimately, in transcending our resentments and false beliefs to attain a higher level of spiritual maturity and deeper faith. As Friedrich Nietzsche aptly expressed it, "He who has a why can endure almost any how."