Reflection: Good Boss
September 20, 2026
LaSalle
25 Sunday in Ordinary Time
“Good Boss”
10:15
You don’t crucify a man for telling cute stories. You do crucify him for telling parables – they get under your skin. This parable is all about work. Or is it?
Matthew 20:1-16
20“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard.
3When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went.
5When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same.
6And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ 7They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’
8When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ 9When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 10Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 11And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’
13But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 14Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ 16So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
~~~
No way to run a railroad.
No way to run an economy.
But he’s got to get his harvest in. He’s up against it. He wants grape pickers for his vineyard.
The easy tendency is to think that the men who get picked later are lazy. Not so. It is to their credit these men are still there on the street corner hoping for work. They are desperate men. No work, no food for their families. There is no public assistance office. There is no SSI. No church food banks.
There is a very strong hint here that he’s a boss they trust, a man with a good reputation. He’s a hand’s on kind of boss. He himself comes to town to select the workers. How is it they trust him? Those selected after the first selection don’t try to re-negotiate a set wage – they trust him enough for them to be paid fairly, whatever is right. Love to see that today.
Not their fault they weren’t part of the first or second or third selection, or fourth. The ones who got picked first were just lucky. Next time they could be among the last. It took a desperate hope and tons of courage to remain hopeful that they could still get work. Not to mention a real commitment to want to step up and take of their families.
Do you have this in LaSalle where men gather in a parking lot waiting to picked up for a day’s labor? In my travels I’ve seen it a lot. Men who want to work. Get picked up a few at a time, eight, sometimes by van to work in the fields.
These men are commendable.
Imagine now yourself one of the disciples listening to Jesus tell this parable. Another tidbit: What is the national symbol for the United States? The eagle. Well, the vineyard was the symbol for Israel. His audience knows Jesus is really talking about the kingdom of God which they mistakenly and idolatrously thought meant only their nation.
For these self-righteous, reactionary disciples assumed that since they were the chosen ones, they deserved special favor, special privilege. Why? They forgot that the original Hebrews in Egypt were called the ‘upuru,’ meaning a ragtag bunch of refugees. To be chosen means to be responsible and grateful.
We started this month with Labor Day. Please note we call it Labor Day, not Wealth Day. We just want a fair deal.
Adam Smith, Scottish economist, argued capitalism is the best system provided the capitalists are moral.
This is a parable that puts Simon Peter’s nose out of joint. Complaining, complaining. Resenting all the newcomers horning in on his role and his self-importance. Can’t you celebrate they too are welcomed?
But just as the landlord selects the workers late in the day but rewards them the same as those picked first, maybe the Gentiles are welcome too. They need the chance for God too. Not as if the first selected were selected because they were superior or better – it was arbitrary – they were lucky. Same with you Simon Peter. What makes you think you’re better?
The Gentiles? (you and me). They have a right to be hopeful. Be glad for them. For in front of me, you and they are equal.
Imagine yourself now Simon Peter and the other disciples who are beginning to resent all the others who are joining up and taking on the good work of Jesus. For as Peter griped and grumbled to Jesus just four verses before Jesus tells this parable: Peter whines: “We have left everything and followed you. What will we have?”
Where’s our payoff? We should be first in line or at least get extra credit. We should get more, right?
Listen, new Pastor, my family built this church!
So?
So what?
Did they really?
Now I’ve got some bragging rights – most of my family came here in the 17th and 18th centuries. For those of us whose ancestors arrived here first (although the Pokanoket and Narrangansett might disagree) -- In fact, next Wednesday is the anniversary of when my great, great, great (and so on) Grandmother was hanged in Salem as number 18 of the accused witches. We shift to her descendent, Isaac, loading musket at Lexington, opposing British tyranny. The original Andrews was MacAndrews, a Scottish Highlander who switched sides, joining his Scottish brethren in fighting a self-serving King -- should we resent or welcome those Johnny-come-latelys? I’m the real American.
Really?
So what?
Here they are, Simon Peter himself, and they all are getting a little miffed at others coming and intruding and taking over their spots similar to the way a first born can resent it when mom and dad come home from the hospital with another baby in mom’s arms.
Please celebrate what just happened. Please be charitable.
Can we appreciate how the landlord is like the Lord providing quail and manna, providing equally, enough?
~~~
Maybe then we might also hear this parable as hinting at all those so busy pointing fingers at others, as an old farm wife taught me once, they forget that when you point at others, three fingers are pointing back at you. Cast out your envy, your judgment.
Frankly, you take care of your own sin, I’ll take care of mine. I got enough sin of mine own to deal with.
Close is this parable to the terrible story of Cain and Abel – two brothers – yet how Cain just couldn’t stand his brother’s success -- sickened by that nasty worm of envy rather than a spirit of love. Feeling cheated rather than being able to celebrate the recognition given his brother. So he kills his brother.
Instead of the mark of Cain, cultivate the mark of a good heart and soul: when you can celebrate someone else’s success and good fortune. When you don’t worry about your place in line.
When did you step aside to let someone else get the reward or glory?
When did you have to give up so someone else could get?
When did you believe you deserved to get more than you got? What did that show you about yourself?
What makes us think we are better than others?
When has someone given us more than we deserved?
When have we been as generous as the landlord?
Good thing we aren’t treated according to what we deserve!
~~~
This parable of the Good Employer has nothing to do with Labor and Industry, Business and Finance. This parable is far from a lesson at the Wharton Business School. Nothing to do with capitalism, socialism, or any other economic ‘ism.’
Despite all that we said so far, this parable is not really about those selected. Not really about the workers.
This parable is all about the employer, the boss, and the good way he looks at the world and acts in the world.
Notice how he keeps coming back into town to see if the other men got work. Partly for his vineyard – time’s pressing and he’s got to get the harvest in. Partly because he wants people in his town to work. This landlord appreciates how they want work.
He also could, but he refuses to humiliate them by negotiating them down to almost no pay, taking advantage of their desperation as some bosses might. As some bosses do.
Not him. Not this boss. They have to feed their families too. And he needed to get all his grapes harvested. Win-win.
So why do you begrudge what I’ve done? My generosity?
You chosen first got a fair wage. You who were selected first received exactly what you agreed to. It’s a very good wage. Good work, good pay. You should feel good about what you’ve done.
Even though their language at him is insulting, the landlord still calls them ‘friend.’
Are you envious because I am good? Are you bitter because I am generous? Can’t I choose to do what I will with mine? It’s not yours.
~~~
When a follower of Christ reached the outskirts of the village and settled under a tree for the night, a villager came running up to him and said, “The stone! The stone! Give me the precious stone!”
“What stone?” asked the follower of Christ.
“Last night I had a vision that if I went to the outskirts of the village at dusk a follower of Christ would give me a stone that would make me rich forever.”
The follower of Christ rummaged in his back pack and, pulling out a stone, he said, “The vision probably meant this one. I found it in the forest yesterday. Here, it’s yours if you want it.”
The man gazed at the stone in wonder. It was the largest diamond in the world—the size of a man’s head.
Later that night this man tossed about in bed unable to fall asleep. At break of day he went back to visit the follower of Christ and said, “Give me the wealth that makes it possible for you to give this diamond away.”
An abundance of grace.
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