You hire people, and decide to pay them equally by the day for their work. You find a few workers in the morning, but determine you need more.
That's when you go in search for more people, and come up with a couple more about midday. You agree to pay them for a days work. You tell them you are going to pay them what is right, but don't specify what that is.
Now, you realize you need more workers to finish the job. It is around 3PM and you find more people. Again, you tell them that you will pay them a fair wage, but you don't specify the amount.
Then, you find some more people standing around, wanting work. You tell them to go work with the others you have hired, and you will pay them equally for their work.
Pay them equally for their work
You call in your workers at the end of the day and distribute payments to all of them. They each get the exact amount as all others. The workers who were first assume they will be paid more and so on, but you pay each person the same amount.
The workers who started earlier are not happy, despite being paid what they agreed to work for. They believe they deserve more because they have done more work, even though they made a deal with you. They think you are unfair.
But, you are honoring your deal, despite their disappointment. They were happy to work for the amount determined in the morning, but it is no longer adequate. Are you wrong, or are they?
You are being generous to the people who have done less work. But, the workers don't see it that way.
It is your right to pay them equally, or to pay differently, and they have the right to refuse your offer. You are spending your own money after all.
This scenario is realistic, as it happens in different environments, and according to Jesus, this is like the Kingdom of Heaven.
God determines what he feels is just and right for us. Does this make heaven fair, giving the same to everyone, or is he requiring more from some than from everyone?
Is heaven fair and equal? Depends on how you look at this. What's your thoughts?
Pay them equally to be fair?
Does equal pay mean being paid the same no matter what the work is you do, or does it mean you are paid the same rate as everyone else based on the time and quality of your work?
“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” – Matthew 20:16 NIV