The Landowner

Once there was a man who owned a vineyard large in size

His vines were full of choicest grape, a feast unto the eyes

He went into the marketplace, one day, to hire hands

At dawn his hires set upon their day to work the lands

Three hours passed and more of them descended to the field

The man had chosen them to help and multiply the yield

And still three hours more had gone and new arrivals came

The landowner had hired them to do the very same

The final bunch arrived at five, three hours left 'til night

They labored side by side until the sky had lost all light

Then the time had come to stop, for wages to be paid

The owner lined the workers up to hand them what they'd made

"The last is first," he said to them and handed them their pay

The ones that came at five back to the ones who'd worked all day

"But wait!" the early workers said, "You paid us all the same

We've been here tending land all day so we have more to claim"

The man just paused and took a breath, then said in even tone

"I gave you what we settled on, but still you fuss and groan?

Take what's yours and leave from here, you envy though you gain

I wish to give the last as much, and so you speak in vain

My charity is poured to all despite your jealous hearts

You have no right to measure for you all are given parts"

And so, the perfect love of God is given to us all

Though some may claim that earlier they heard the Spirit's call

And some may think their work is not deserving of His grace

Yet in His body here on earth each member has its place

So set aside your jealous hearts, your cup is filled as well

And in each breath of human life, He's made a home to dwell.

-C. O'Connell-