We all have a natural sense of justice, and of what is fair. We might easily conflate the two, but justice and fairness don’t always lead to the same end. Jesus’ parable of the landowner and the workers suggests that God’s sense of justice might not seem fair to everyone. Our ideas of what is right are likely upended by the landowner’s generosity. He gives to each worker not what they have earned but rather the “daily bread” they need.

Sometimes in the church’s ministry, we behave in a spirit exactly opposite that of the parable’s landowner, opting to be “fair” above all else. So, for example, the food pantry can insist on the same items in the same amount for everyone, or the soup kitchen rules dictate that everyone get the same thing on their tray. Yet everyone doesn’t always have the same needs. What if instead of fairness, we also made a way for generosity to sometimes disrupt the rules? There are good reasons for insisting on fairness. Rules establish helpful boundaries. Fairness can help ensure that when resources are scarce, everyone has a chance to receive something. Yet, in the name of fairness, we can also overlook both God’s abundant generosity and the actual needs of others.

Maybe Jesus’ parable doesn’t mean changing the rules altogether. But maybe it means leaving ample space for those situations in which emulating God’s generosity means bending the rules. God’s grace frees us from a stubborn insistence on “only what’s fair” so that we can care for others with generous spirits. No matter when we come to the baptismal waters, God’s word of grace is enough to cover our sins. No matter our circumstances when we are gathered at Christ’s table, God’s generosity means there is always enough for each and every one of us to receive the daily bread we need.