Increasingly despondent by our country’s increasing level of conflicts over the past few years, I didn’t expect to find new meaning in a gospel passage that I thought I knew so well. I remember hearing the story of the landowner and his vineyard when I was a child and thought then that the early hires were treated unjustly. Even as an adult, I’ve struggled to see beyond the fairness question. I’ve never found another meaning that resonated with me.

But when I read it this time, I see a different situation and message. I see the desire for exclusivity. I see workers who wanted to be special because they were hired first. They wanted to change the landowner’s rules to benefit them and tried to keep others out of their perceived privileged status.

I see the spirit of those same people in the world today resenting any efforts to broaden diversity and inclusion, blocking efforts for those who seek a better life. Too many scorn the suggestion we accept minor inconveniences for the greater good.

But don’t we all tend to seek privilege on a smaller, quieter scale? We say, “I did more work on that assignment. I should have gotten special acknowledgment.” We grumble, “I got to the doctor’s office first, so I should go first.” And bicker, “I’ve worked here longer than him; I should have gotten that promotion.”

Before we can change the world for the better, we need to change ourselves. We need to stop deciding we deserve more than others. Certainly, some things are unfair, but more often than not, it’s just that we want more.

Jesus tells us that the first will be last and the last first. We need to trust he’ll take care of the things that truly matter.