Say What You Want...

Matthew 21:28-31
But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father?

Men and women are judged by what they say. With the election season upon us, we have many candidates that are talking. With every breath they promise something new. According to some of them the whole United States will get whatever they want. Slogan after slogan they promise change and a better system. A better government with better leadership. A chicken in every pot and a dollar in every wallet. Word after word they tell of the great things that they will accomplish once they are elected.

How often have we found them to be faithful to their words? Even on a smaller scale, promises like this are made everyday and broken the next day. Husbands promise their wives that they will always love and honor them. Wives promise their husbands that they will love and respect them. Parents promise children that they will take care of and protect them. Employees promise their bosses that they will get the job done. Pastors promise the easy road of Christ. Altars are filled every service with people promising God that they will repent, they will serve, they will work in the field.

Then on the flip-side you have the ones who say, No, I will not go. They made no such promises. Rejecting the words of the father, they went their way only to find conviction tugging at their hearts. Maybe this young man was passing the field that his father asked him to work in and his heart began to beat faster as he realized that he was wrong. Repenting, this young man went to the field. He initially didn't obey his father, but in the end he did.

So, say what you want about this boys first response... He is the one who went away justified and surrendered to the will of his father, not the one with all the talk. So I leave you this morning with a question like Jesus asked... Which one are you?