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Today begins the season of Autumn. We commonly call it "fall," for a simple reason… this is when the leaves fall from the trees, leaving room for new growth.
This is also when we see plants that have been growing through the summer reach the point of giving up their harvest. This is a time when we see the leaves fall from the trees to become future food for existing plants, and it's a time when seeds will burrow into soil to resurface next year as new growth. It's a time of change in God's glorious creation, and it's also an opportunity for change in each of us.
In many congregations tomorrow, we will hear the parable (Matthew 20:1-16) about the vineyard owner who hires workers throughout the day. They each work a different number of hours, depending on at what point in the day they were hired. Yet, at the end of the day, each is paid a full day's wage. Workers who worked a full day become angry when they see another worker who worked just a couple of hours get the same pay. This is a story in which fairness is often seen as the prevalent theme.
We often place ourselves in this story when we hear it, and we usually imagine ourselves as one of the workers who worked all day, and feel offended by the vineyard owner's generosity. However, there is more to be considered here.
Consider again, that we're now in the fall season. What does it mean to you to be going through fall? In this parable, can you sometimes find yourself in roles other than the worker who worked all day? Have there been times when you feel that you received more than you deserved, like the workers hired later in the day? Are there times when you had the opportunity to be more generous to someone doing something for you? For instance, a waitress serving you, or a youth helping you with yard work or a babysitter? In this story we can see the season of fall exhibited clearly in the harvesting of the grapes, but can we also see the generosity produced? Do we see the opportunity to shed jealousy? All of these folks could give thanks (a common fall practice) either for the grapes, having work or receiving pay.
We can all use the fall season to expand our awareness and look for similar aspects of fall in our lives. We can appreciate what we've produced, and also prepare ourselves for new growth.
This is a time for the leaves to fall not only from trees, but also from each of us. We can allow the useless "leaves" of jealousy, anger and other hurtful feelings to fall off, allowing for new growth.
Hopefully they will be replaced with "leaves" of generosity, happiness and thankfulness.
The fall season allows us to clear out what we no longer need, or what is not useful. Winter will bring a time of preparation for growth, and perhaps a chance for us each to see what we can change to aid new growth in us.
May God's peace and comfort be with us all.
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Finding Faith is written by area pastors. This week's column comes from Pastor Gary Shumway of Garman Lutheran Church in Pine Creek and Grace Lutheran Church in Jersey Shore.