"Grace For Senior Citizens"
By Harold Stoddard

"Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?" Matthew 20:15

If you will read Matthew 20:1-16, you will get more from this article than you otherwise will. The story briefly is this:
A man went out early in the day to hire labourers to work in his vineyard. He promised those labourers a penny a day (a day's wages). The third hour of the day he went out and hired others, promising to pay them whatever was right. The sixth hour, he did the same, and again on the eleventh hour. At the end of the day he paid each man a penny, as promised to the first ones. Those hired earlier and who had worked all day were not satisfied even though they received what was promised. They didn't like for those who had worked less to receive the same as they did. Such is the selfishness of man.
However, as the owner said, "Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last" for many be called, but few chosen." Matthew 20:15,16.
We might tend to criticize -- give our opinion, etc. However, for the present, I'd like to point out what is the most important theme in this story -- the Grace of Almighty God is here revealed.
Although you may be of the older generation -- past 40 -- and have neglected the claims of God on your life as other things have claimed your attention until now -- raising the kids -- trying to be a financial success -- sports, etc., etc. etc. -- now here you are, whether a success or failure, you have neglected the claims of Christ on your life; but there is still time, although no future time is promised -- "(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation)." II Corinthians 6:2.
As the owner of the vineyard paid the late workers the same as those who had worked all day, so you may be rewarded even as those who have spent their entire lifetime in faithful service, for God does not measure the hours and days as men do, but He measures the Faithfulness of the Heart -- "...for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." I Samuel 16:7. And any servant of the Lord must be faithful for God says, "moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." I Corinthians 4:2.
It is far better to be saved when you are young, that your life on earth be not wasted, but the Grace of God is such that He desires to save your soul even though you have neglected it for so long. Thus you need not despair even though you have strayed for many years. Pay attention to the Word of God today, and come to Jesus Christ --led by the Word and the Spirit of God you will not be turned away for He has promised, "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." John 6:37.
To continue to neglect your soul's need may well lead to total disaster because That which you put off until another day will likely never be done. So come, in simple childlike faith, to Jesus Christ today. He has promised that He will not turn you away. Jesus said of Himself, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father but by Me." John 14:6. There is no other way, for there is one God and one Mediator between God and man the Man Christ Jesus -- I Timothy 2:5.
The greatest characteristic of Almighty God is His love -- for you -- for God is Love, and His Grace reaches out to every sinner, for "He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" -- II Peter 3:9.