How many times have we tried to judge the fairness of God? This is exactly what happened in the parable that Yahshua (Jesus) offered concerning the workers in the vineyard, which He compared to the Kingdom of Heaven. At the beginning of the day, the householder hired workers and their wages were agreed upon:

Later, more workers were hired. They continued to be added throughout the day:

Finally, as the day was nearly over, others were also hired to work. The householder told them that they would receive "whatever is right" for their labors:

When the end of the day came, it was time to pay the workers their just earnings. Those who signed on last got paid first. Those latecomers received the amount that the householder had agreed to pay those who were first hired at the beginning of the day:

As those who had labored from the beginning of the day witnessed the payment of those who were hired last, they naturally assumed that they would be paid more. However, those who were hired first received no more pay than those who were hired last:

They protested against the master of the house, claiming that they had been treated unfairly. How could we, they murmured, who have worked all day, even through the heat of the day, receive the same pay as those who had barely worked?

The master of the house responded, saying in effect, "I gave you what we agreed upon. How does it hurt you if I give them more than you think they have earned?"

Like these workers, many of us also struggle with the fairness of God. When we look at the rewards and/or blessings that others receive while we suffer, it doesn’t seem fair.

Peter was no exception. He had a similar struggle after the resurrected Yahshua had told him to "go feed my sheep." "Why me?," Peter may have thought, "What about John? Why doesn’t he have to do anything?"

21 Peter seeing him said to Yahshua, Lord, and what shall this man do? -John 21

Yahshua responded saying in effect, "You do what I have called you to do. I will have John do what I want him to do." Besides, whatever John does, "What is that to you?"

Like Peter, most of us are also still operating in the world’s system. We are still looking to be rewarded for our faithful work, rather than accepting that our work counts as nothing when we try to match it up with the grace of God. We try to add up points for our good works and subtract them for our wickedness. We somehow imagine that the score will be tallied in the end and those who have done more good works will be rewarded whereas those who have not done them will be penalized. Yahweh, however, cautions us about such score keeping:

Our response is like that of the house of Israel. This is not fair! We say that Yahweh is "not equal." But He says it is our ways that are "not equal:"

The unrighteous who turn toward Yahweh shall live and the righteous who turn away from Him shall die. What about the scoreboard?

The Kingdom of Heaven is not like a sprint. It is more like an endurance race. Yahshua says that many shall be deceived along the way by false prophets. However, He says, those who endure to the end shall be saved:

Knowing that it is the end of the race that counts, it is tempting for some to ask, "Why not just join the race at the end then?" However, like the workers in the vineyard, we can only be "hired" when we are asked. We can only come when we are invited. His Spirit will not always plead with us to come to Him:

We must, therefore, seek Him while He may be found:

That is when we can turn to Him in true repentance and when He will "abundantly pardon" us and will have mercy upon us:

We cannot second guess Yahweh. Neither can we deceive Him. His thoughts and ways are beyond our comprehension:

However, Yahweh sends forth His Word, much like He sends forth the rain. He uses it to accomplish His purpose on His schedule, according to His plan:

10 For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and returns not there, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

11 So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. -Isaiah 55

Yahweh sends His Word in His timing, whereby He calls many unto salvation. However, of the many that are called, only those few who answer His call by steadfastly believing in the power of His name to save them from their sins, are chosen:

Out of the abundance of the belief in our hearts comes forth our confession of faith from our mouths as we call upon the name of Yahweh the Savior (Yahshua):

His ways are more than equal. His grace is greater than our works and His mercy is greater than our sin. Regardless of when He calls us into the Kingdom of Heaven and no matter how much work we have done, once we answer that call in faith, His reward is the same. It is everlasting life.