Words from the Rock
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?
Matthew 21:28–31 NIV
Sometimes it seems easier to say yes and agree to something you really don’t want to do simply to avoid conflict or to impress someone. Imagine that a youth group leader is asking for volunteers at the soup kitchen next weekend. Jenny Doe doesn’t want to appear to be the selfish kind of person who’d rather sleep in on Saturday, so she smiles and politely raises her hand. That way she looks good. But even as her hand is up, she’s planning a way to conveniently forget all about this commitment, or maybe she’ll neglect to set her alarm clock, or maybe she’ll fabricate some other believable excuse like a case of the twenty-four-hour flu. The point is, she wants to look good.
There’s a word for someone like that—hypocrite, or, as many were called in Jesus’s day, religious leaders. Unfortunately, a lot of the most seemingly religious people were big fat hypocrites. When Jesus told this story, he was trying to make his listeners understand that the religious hypocrites were the ones pretending to serve God and others, but when no one was looking, they were serving only themselves. Like the son who says, “Yes, Dad,” but fully intends to break that promise, the hypocrites could not be trusted.
What about the son who says, “No way, Dad,” but later changes his mind and does what he’s been asked? He represents the person who has rebelled against God—someone who’s broken the rules—but later realizes his mistake and wants to change. Those are the kinds of people Jesus is looking for. People who recognize they’re sinners but want to turn their lives around. Jesus can work with people like that.
So are you a yes person who secretly means no? Or are you a no person who, after a change of heart, wants to say yes to God?
My Prayer
Dear God,
I know I’ve made mistakes and I’ve broken some promises. I’m sorry, and I want to live my life the way you want me to. Please help me to do that.
Amen.
Final Word
You were rescued by the precious blood of Christ, that spotless and innocent lamb.
1 Peter 1:19 CEV
Stone for the Journey
With Jesus’s help, I will keep my promises to God.