The story goes like this. Men were hired in the morning to work in the vineyard. When the owner saw that there are still a lot of work to be done, he hired more workers to finish the work. At the end of the day, all the workers were paid equally. This angered the early-morn workers. And so they claimed: injustice!

Ironic. I don't know if you'll agree with me but this story echoes in most of our work places. We see less-experienced newly hires who rake more money than us. And as if to add salt to an open wound, we end up training them. And once they've learned the rope, they boot us out of work.

That, my friends, is a story of an OFW in most parts of the world. And the surprising part is that that's what we were hired for. We are to supplement a local manpower and train them locals so that, in time, they could do without us.

There is therefore no reason why we should feel hurt or wronged.

The land owner in this Sunday's parable said: My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?'

In Saudi (and Kuwait where I currently am working), there are people who derive personal satisfaction in bad mouthing the companies they are working in for many years. Their wrath stems from issues like unjust distribution of salaries, work load, overtime hours, etc. While some of the issues may be valid, most of them emanate from, as what the landowner said, 'envy' of other people.

When we start looking at the blessings that others receive, we take away the essence of God's generosity. When it rains, our house as well as that of our neighbors get wet. When the sun shines in the morning, it doesn't only shine on the

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few. It's the same with God blessings -- it falls to all people, graciously and mercifully.

For that, we should all be thankful.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord. May I be content with your blessings and learn not to ask more for myself. May I be happy for my brother's blessings and learn to ask more for them who are in need of your blessings.