Found only in Luke, Jesus tells an interesting parable…
“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
It doesn’t take a scholar to get Jesus’ point. The son who obeyed is the one who did what the father wanted. Words are cheap. As they say, “Actions speak louder than words.”
Despite the backtalk or the yes-talk, only the son who did what the father asked was obedient.
After this simple story, Jesus nails the religious leaders confronting them with their lack of obedience. Did they get baptized by John? No, they were too righteous! Were the leaders willing to repent and believe God was on the move? NO, they were too righteous and stubborn.
As I typed that last work, the Spirit spoke to me. It is not always a matter of righteousness, sometimes it is stubbornness, not being willing to lay down what you have always done or thought that gets in the way of trusting Jesus.
Lord, show me my stubborn streaks so that I can surrender those to You and live more fully as an obedient son in Your kingdom. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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