“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?’ “‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’” Matthew 20:6-7

I was blessed to be born into a Christian home. I became a Christian at the age of four, led to Christ by my father who was a pastor and a part-time school bus driver. I remember getting to ride the bus with him one morning, and after we dropped all the kids off at school we talked, and I accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. I’ve been a Christian virtually all of my life.

Contrast my story with that of the criminal who was crucified next to Jesus. Recognizing he was being justly punished, but that Jesus had done no wrong, he professed faith in Jesus and said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:42-43). This criminal, though he accepted Christ just minutes before he died, received a full and complete salvation, just like I did. That’s God’s amazing grace!

God’s amazing grace is that it’s never too late to come to him, and it doesn’t matter who you are or what you’ve done (or haven’t done). Look at the parable in Matthew 20:1-16 that is the basis of today’s devotion. After hiring the first workers, the landowner goes back to the marketplace at 9am, noon, 3pm, and one last time at 5pm looking for additional workers. Now, what kind of workers do you think were still available at 5pm? Likely, it was those who didn’t seem to have much to offer, like the kid who gets picked last when you’re choosing teams. But God doesn’t choose us based on what we have to offer Him; He calls us based on what he has to offer us. Amazing grace!