We are All Accepted

Tuesday, May 12th, 2026

4:21 am

Good morning! Today I am in Matthew 20:1-16. Jesus tells His disciples that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a landowner that went out early one morning to look for workers for his vineyard. He hired some and agreed to pay them the normal day wage. At 9 am, he went back through the market place, and saw some people standing around, and he told them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day for their work, and they went to work for him. The man did this again at 12 and 3. Then again at 5, he was in town and saw some men standing around and asked them why they hadn't been working? They told him that no one hired them. The man told them to go out and work with the others. That evening, he told the foremen to call all the workers in and pay them, starting with the one who arrived last. He paid them a full days wage, and he did the same to all the other people. The ones who arrived first, also received a full days wage, but they protested saying that they worked longer than the others so they thought they would receive more. The man told them that he hadn't been unfair for they agreed to work for a full days wage. Telling them that he wanted to pay the last workers the same as them, and that it wasn't against the law to do what he wanted to with his money. Asking them, "Should you be jealous because he is kind to others?" Jesus tells them that those who are first will be last and those who are last will be first.

This is reassuring for us today because it does not matter how old we are or where we are on our journey in this life, God accepts us right where we are. Right in the middle of whatever mess we are in. He even accepts us when we are on our death bed. Look at the thief that was on the cross with Jesus. He didn't spend years with Jesus, he was on the cross dying right next to Jesus, and he asked Jesus to forgive him right there, and Jesus did. Offering him the same salvation to him as He does for every single one of us.

The religious leaders of Jesus' time, thought that because they knew all the Scriptures and followed all the rules they had made, that they were guaranteed eternal life with God. But they were wrong. They thought their deeds would get them to heaven, even after all of Jesus' warnings to them, but they would not believe and receive Him, so they missed Jesus. Many people today believe the same way, that they have done enough to get into heaven, but no amount of deeds will get us there. Only our faith in Jesus. No matter how long we spend with Jesus on earth as believers, we are all offered the same thing. We must be careful to not be like the workers in the story Jesus told, who were jealous that they did not receive more because they had worked longer than the others. Because salvation is a gift from God. A gift for anyone who chooses to believe in His Son and puts their faith in Him. But the sooner we receive that gift while we are alive, the sooner we will have the love and peace that only God can give us. God wants us all to be a part of His Kingdom. He gives us all that same offer. And the sooner we choose Him, the more He will be able to help us while we are alive. Choose Him today. Allow Him to guide you. This life is hard, but He can help. He gives us the strength to keep going.