Imagine going to work today and your boss said, “Effective immediately, wages will be nearly doubled, and the work week shortened.” Would you be thrilled with the news? If you weren’t working for that company, do you suppose you would try to get hired at a place like that?
This is exactly what happened at Ford Motor Company. Don’t get too excited and start planning to make your move to Detroit. This all happened in the early 1900s.
Henry Ford started the company in 1903. In 1914, he doubled wages. Typically, a person made $2.34 per day and that was working nine hours a day, six days per week! Ford took the wage up to $5 per day and people were lined up to work for him.1 The math on this will blow your mind! This equals $14.04/week or $.26/hour! Ford gave everyone a $.30/hour raise – and the people rejoiced!
And on this day in 1926, Ford declared that the new work week would be eight-hour days, five days a week.
“According to an article published in The New York Times that March, Edsel Ford, Henry’s son and the company’s president, explained that “Every man needs more than one day a week for rest and recreation….The Ford Company always has sought to promote [an] ideal home life for its employees. We believe that in order to live properly every man should have more time to spend with his family.”
“Henry Ford said of the decision: “It is high time to rid ourselves of the notion that leisure for workmen is either ‘lost time’ or a class privilege.” At Ford’s own admission, however, the five-day workweek was also instituted in order to increase productivity: Though workers’ time on the job had decreased, they were expected to expend more effort while they were there. Manufacturers all over the country, and the world, soon followed Ford’s lead, and the Monday-to-Friday workweek became standard
practice.”2
Henry Ford wasn’t the only one who had people waiting in line to work. The Bible tells the story about some others who were in need of work. Matthew 20:1-16 says, “For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. (2) And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. (3) And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, (4) And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. (5) Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. (6) And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? (7) They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. (8) So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. (9) And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. (10) But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. (11) And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, (12) Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. (13) But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? (14) Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. (15) Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? (16) So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.”
Of this parable, Albert Barnes writes, “The kingdom of heaven means here the church, including, perhaps, its state here and hereafter. It has reference to rewards, and the meaning may be thus expressed: “Rewards shall be bestowed in my kingdom, or on my followers, in the same manner as they were by a certain householder – in such a way that the last shall be equal to the first, and the first last.” Another commentator writes, “The last will be first, and the first last. In other words, everyone finishes in a dead heat. No matter how long each of the workers worked, they each received a full day’s wage. Similarly, the thief on the cross will enjoy the full blessings of heaven alongside those who have labored their whole lives for Christ. Such is the grace of God.”
This isn’t just grace. It’s mercy as well. Henry Ford showed grace and mercy to workers in Detroit. God shows His grace and mercy when He saves us. Some have been saved for years while others get saved later in life or even on their death beds. ALL will enjoy the richest blessings of Heaven.
Till then, let’s work hard but NOT for the rewards. Work hard for the One who called us to labor in His fields.
1https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/henry-ford-introduced-40-hr-work-week/
2https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ford-factory-workers-get-40-hour-week
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