The ground at the foot of the cross is level. No special treatment is given for distinctions of birth or wealth. But the door into the kingdom is narrow and requires humility to enter.

Jesus taught that the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who needed workers for his vineyard. Some were hired early in the day, and others were engaged for only the last hour of the work day. All received equal payment, however, for their labors, and this caused great distress to those who felt they were treated unfairly. Jesus told how the landowner had the right to handle wages as he chose, not according to what the workers deemed fair.

A skewed perspective of fairness leads to envy and jealousy. The game of comparison never has a positive result, but leads to a defiling root of bitterness. Finding myself in such a situation years ago, I asked in my daily prayer to be able to resist the spirit of bitterness. I did find God’s promised grace, His strength being made perfect in my weakness. He gave victory exactly as He saw fit.