Let Your Yes Be Yes

As I was reading the parable of the two sons I had to stop and think about what the parable is really saying.  Matthew 21:28-31 reads:

“’What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. Which of the two did what his father wanted?’ ‘The first’, they answered. Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.’” 

Something about this parable has never sat right with me.  It seems to me that both sons are in the wrong that neither one fully honors his father, yet it says that the first son “did what his father wanted.”  I think sometimes we, the church, make God out to be someone He is not.  Me, in my human weakness and limitation, look at the first son and say you could have still done better; you may have ended well but you sure didn’t start off right, etc, etc.  However to God nothing prior to the act of obedience mattered.  To God, the first son obeyed.  Even though it took some time, the first son was willing to humble himself and submit to the Father while the second son became proud, played the religious card of good intentions but then never followed through.  The first son honored God, while the second son misused his freedom.

Sometimes I think we are too hard on each other and at the same time not hard enough on ourselves.  I think we find it really easy to say “yes” to God, but then not really follow through with our actions.  When I stopped to think about the passage I could easily wrap my mind around how God could pleased with the first son despite his initial response of “no.” In order for the first son to change his mind he first had to pass through a state of humility and repentance and it is when God’s people are in that state that He can best use them.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your patience and tenderness towards Your people.  Thank You for giving us the freedom to choose to respond to Your commands and to listen to Your voice. Lord I pray that we would say yes to You and that we would have the humble obedience to follow through with our promises.  But Lord when we do not say yes I pray that we would respond to Your Spirits prompting in our lives to change our minds and return to You.  Lord I pray that we would not be judgmental as the religious leaders of Jesus’ time were, but that we would view ourselves with humility.  Lord I pray that the truth of the last verse of this passage would sink in to our hearts and that we would love and cherish the “tax collectors and the prostitutes” of today knowing that they too have a place saved for them in Your Kingdom if they humble submit to You.

I love You Lord, help me to humbly submit to You, help me to follow through with my promises, help me to love Your people, help me to live like You.

Amen