In this daily Bible reading is the account of Jesus telling a parable about a vineyard owner who hired workers throughout the day. Some worked more hours than the others. In fact, the last ones hired worked only one hour. However, all workers received the same pay. At the end of the day, the ones that worked all day grumbled that the ones that worked only one hour received the same pay.
This parable is a picture of people coming to believe in Jesus Christ at various points in their lives. The Bible says that those who believe in Jesus will go to Heaven, no matter when they believe. However, they must sustain that belief until they die.
A good example of a person believing late in life is the thief who died on the cross next to Jesus. The thief believed in Jesus, and Jesus told him that he would be in paradise with Jesus. In one respect it does not seem fair that a person who believes early gets the same reward as one who believes late. However, the Bible says that believers live a life characterized by peace and joy. Nonbelievers do not. Their lives are characterized by fear and anxiety. I would rather enjoy the fruits of being a believer for a long time rather than a short time.
