Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?
Matthew 20:15 NIV
Have you ever watched someone receive grace and felt a quiet resistance rise within you? Perhaps it did not seem fair. The parable Jesus gives in Matthew 20 does not simply illustrate the kingdom of heaven. It confronts us with a truth that cuts deeper than fairness. In fact, God has the right to show mercy to anyone, at any point in their life. And this parable makes that impossible to ignore.
The Vineyard Was Always Open
The landowner in this parable began hiring at dawn. Yet he did not stop there. He went out again at mid-morning, at noon, and at mid-afternoon. Then, at the fifth hour, he went out once more. Each time, he found people standing idle in the marketplace. Without hesitation, he brought them in.
The passage does not tell us exactly how many workers the landowner needed. Instead, the wisdom lies in that deliberate silence. Consequently, as long as there were idle hands, there was a place for them. The kingdom of heaven is not working to a maximum capacity. God’s desire for people far exceeds what we presently see. His invitation never closes. The Great Commission sets no quota. It simply says go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19). As long as there are people outside of God’s kingdom, therefore, there is a need to bring them in.
Invited, Never Forced
Meanwhile, there is something profoundly important about how the master extended his invitation. He did not drag anyone. He did not coerce or persuade under pressure. Instead, he simply appeared in the marketplace and spoke to those standing idle. They went willingly — immediately, quietly, without any difficulty. No one resisted. Indeed, none required convincing beyond the simple act of being called.
This tells us something vital: the door to the kingdom is open, not pushed. God does not force anyone in. Yet His mercy reaches people at every stage of their lives. Whether someone knew Him from youth or came to Him in the final hour, the invitation nonetheless remains constant. What matters is simply this: when the master showed up, they chose to walk through the open door.
When We Question Whether God Has the Right to Show Mercy
When the first workers challenged the landowner over the equal reward, his response was direct. He turned to them with a question that cuts to the heart of the matter. “Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?” (Matthew 20:15)
The same question, therefore, echoes for us today. We sometimes form quiet prejudices about who deserves grace. Perhaps someone has done something terrible. They have hurt others, destroyed relationships, or committed what we would consider unforgivable acts. Yet they receive the same mercy we did. Something in us stirs.
But God’s response cuts through our resistance. He asks: don’t I have the right to do what I want with what is mine? With my grace, my love, my compassion? Ultimately, God has the right to show mercy however He chooses, and that right belongs entirely to Him.
And here is where the parable becomes personal. After all, none of us deserved what we received. We were also standing idle in the marketplace. Not because there was no vineyard, but because no one had yet called us. The fact that someone else received the same mercy does not diminish what you yourself received. Instead, it reveals the depth of a God who simply refuses to stop inviting people in.
Living It Out
Allow no prejudice to narrow your vision of God’s heart. He has the right to show mercy however He chooses — and that is precisely how you came in. So surrender your resistance, and let His generosity expand your own.