Universal Utterings

for August 20, 2025

A Godcast

UniversalUtterings.Com

08-20-2025 Matthew 20 v0116 Take What is Yours and Go

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The Gospel of Matthew Chapter 20 Verses 1 thru 16

1 “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 Going out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.’ 5 So they went off. [And] he went out again around noon, and around three o’clock, and did likewise. 6 Going out about five o’clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ 7 They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard. ’8 When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.’ 9 When those who had started about five o’clock came, each received the usual daily wage.10 So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’ 13 He said to one of them in reply, ‘My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 14 Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? 15 [Or] am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?’ 16 Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Matthew 20:1-16 presents the powerful parable of the workers in the vineyard, illustrating God's generous nature and His sovereign choice in bestowing blessings. In this parable, a landowner hires laborers at different times throughout the day, yet when it comes time to pay, he gives each worker the same wage, regardless of the hours they worked. This leads to discontent among those who toiled the longest. They grumble, feeling entitled to more simply because they worked longer.

This story offers profound insights into God's kingdom and how we often react to His grace. The landowner, representing God, emphasizes that He has the right to dispense His blessings as He sees fit. This underlines a crucial lesson: God chooses who to bless according to His divine will, not human standards or expectations. The workers’ jealousy serves as a reminder of the human tendency to compare and covet, which can lead to bitterness and dissatisfaction.

In our own lives, we may find ourselves grappling with similar feelings when we see others receiving blessings we desire. However, this parable calls us to shift our focus from comparison to gratitude. Rather than resenting the blessings others receive, we should celebrate God’s generosity and recognize that each person’s journey is unique.

Ultimately, this scripture encourages us to trust in God's perfect judgment and timing. His plans for each individual are abundant and tailored to their needs. Let us embrace the truth that God's blessings are not a limited resource, and we should rejoice in His goodness, knowing that His grace overflows beyond our understanding. Amen.

Join me as we pray our daily prayer of forgiveness. The Lord’s Prayer.

At the Savior's command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to pray:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and forever.

I am sorry Lord. I believe You died and rose for me. Please forgive me as I forgive others. I share You as my Lord and Savior seeking to live your Will in all things. Prayers for wife Toni and my mother Betty pray for our children especially our two oldest Alexandra & Allen Son in Law Mark Stern; Julian, Gabriel and Jeffrey and our grandchildren Oliver, Julian and Elliott. We pray for those we’ve said we’d pray for and those who’ve asked us to pray for them. We pray for the dying as we do each day Lord give them peace in their last breath. We pray for Holy Mother Church. Our prayers for our niece Brittany. In Jesus Precious Blood by His Name we pray. Amen.

I am a poet obedient to Christ,

Catholic Evangelist Thomas Cruz†Wiggins

†Spirit led God inspired Christ fed†®

Ephesians 6:17-20

08-20-2025 Matthew 20 v0116

**Take What is Yours and Go**

In a land where the sun rose bright,

A master sought laborers with delight.

To the marketplace, he sent his plea,

“Come, work in my vineyard, come work with me.”

At dawn’s early hour, the first ones came,

Agreed on a wage; they entered the game.

As hours passed by, he called out again,

To those waiting idly, he brought more in.

The midday sun blazed, yet still hope thrived,

As more workers heard, and quickly arrived.

“Why stand you here, idle without a task?”

“No one has hired us,” was their humble ask.

As twilight descended, the final call rang,

The master, so generous, joyfully sang.

“Come, receive your wage, as evening draws near,”

And what came next filled the laborers with fear.

For one and all, equal pay in hand,

The earliest workers could not understand.

“Why should we receive the same as they,

Who labored but an hour at the end of the day?”

The master replied, with wisdom so deep,

“Did I not agree to your wage in the heat?

It’s mine to bestow, my grace to unleash,

Be glad for your blessings; let envy cease.”

So remember this tale, as you walk your own way,

In life’s grand vineyard, God’s love leads the sway.

May we lift up our hearts in grateful refrain,

For in His kingdom, there’s joy, not disdain. Amen.

© Thomas Joe Cruz†Wiggins

August 20, 2025 @ 04:38 AM EST

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