BACK WORKERS 4'2m0f The parable of the workers ED -- And now, sit down, put your feet up, relax and listen to another edition of... Parables on Parade. Tonight's parable comes from Matthew chapter 20 beginning at verse 1. "For the kingdom of heaven is like a land owner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went. He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. About the eleventh hour 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.' When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.' The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. FRED -- (door open) Now just a minute, there, buster! Ed -- Excuse me? FRED -- I heard what you just read and I would like to file a grievence. ED -- A grieving? FRED -- Do you take me for a fool? ED -- Well, actually, yes... FRED -- I was just at a union organizing meeting, when I heard you try to justify this... this travesty of justice! ED -- What travesty. What union? FRED -- I am now a card carrying member of the International Brotherhood of Laborers. That's EYE-BALL for short. And just like the name implies, we're keeping an eye on guys like you. ED -- Guys like me? What did I do? FRED -- I'm not deaf. You don't think I heard how your friend hired some workers at unfair wages? And, then, if that's not enough he hired scabs at the end of the work day and pays them premium wages. Oh, I can smell a strike breaker a mile away. ED -- What strike? It was just a par.... FRED -- Did he or did he not pay those poor oppressed workers from the morning shift the same wages as those in the swing shift? ED -- Well, yes, but... FRED -- Ahha! Then you admit it! ED -- Well, they agreed in advance... FRED -- But! Did they have a contract ratified by the rank and file? I think not! ED -- Look, I don't think you... FRED -- What I see here is a clear violation of the Sherman Antitrust act. ED -- They agreed on the wages and shook hands on it. They got everything they bargained for. FRED -- BUT! Was it COLLECTIVE bargaining? I think not. ED -- You got that right. FRED -- What. ED -- You think not. FRED -- Hey, was that a slam? ED -- The whole story was a parable. Fiction. He made it up. A fabrication. There were no workers. No morning shift, no swing shift. Jesus told the story to show that God has a right to reward whomever he wants with whatever he wants to, because he's God. FRED -- Oh. Nevermind, then. ED -- Tune in next time for another edition of Parable on Parade. FRED -- (afar) Want to see my new union card? ED -- (afar) No. FRED -- (afar) Why not? ED -- (afar) It has an EYE BALL on it. Š2013 Bob Snook. Conditions for use: Do not sell any part of this script, even if you rewrite it. Pay no royalties, even if you make money from performances. You may reproduce and distribute this script freely, but all copies must contain this copyright statement. http://www.bobsnook.org email: [email protected] BACK