Is the reward not also in the work?

Matthew 20:1-16 (TNIV) -

1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

3 "About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' 5 So they went.

"He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. 6 About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?'

7 " 'Because no one has hired us,' they answered.

"He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.'

8 "When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his supervisor, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.'

9 "The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 'These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.'

13 "But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'

16 "So the last will be first, and the first will be last."

My thoughts -

I wonder how often we compare how we have been blessed and how much we have been forgiven. This used to be a big issue for me. I had a hard time with the idea that someone could live a sinful life and then pray for forgiveness at the very end and receive it while others "had" to be faithful followers of Christ for their entire lives. This, however, begs the question: What is the reward? Is it in the pay only or also in the work?

The people who labored in the fields all day had a purpose. They also had a promised reward. Those who only worked the last hour spent the day purposeless and had to promise of pay. There's a lot of anxiety living that way. Is it not better to just do the work?

Is life not better when we trust God and live according to the will of our Creator? Is the promise of heaven not enough? Is a life well lived not enough? Is God's generosity to us not enough? Do we have to see how we compare to others?

It's just not that big of a deal to me anymore. Maybe that's maturity. Maybe that's apathy. I'm good. I have a purpose. I'm occupied. In fact, I'd like some more work to do. The pay is more than generous. The biggest reward for me right now is in the work.