Matthew 21:28-32: a reflection

28But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first, and said, ‘Son, go work today in my vineyard.’ 29He answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind, and went. 30He came to the second, and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I’m going, sir,’ but he didn’t go. 31Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Most certainly I tell you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering into God’s Kingdom before you. 32For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you didn’t believe him; but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. When you saw it, you didn’t even repent afterward, that you might believe him.

Jesus tells of a man with two sons. He asks the first to go work in the vineyard; the son says, I will not, but afterward changes his mind and goes. He asks the second; the son says, I'm going, sir, but does not go. Which of the two, Jesus asks, did the father's will? The first, they answer, the one who actually went, though he had first refused. It was the doing, not the saying, that mattered; the son who obeyed in the end did the father's will, though he had said no, while the one who said yes but did not go did not.

Notice the point: it is doing the father's will, not merely saying, that matters. The first son said no, but then did what was asked; the second said yes, but did nothing. And it was the first, the one who actually did the will, who is commended, though his words had been wrong. The one who merely said the right thing, but did not do it, did not do the father's will. Words of agreement without the doing are empty; it is the actual doing of the father's will that counts, whatever we first say. Saying is not doing.

That is worth taking to heart, for we can say yes to God while not doing his will, or think our saying is enough. We can profess obedience, saying the right things, agreeing to do God's will, while not actually doing it, like the second son; or we can imagine that our profession is enough, that saying yes counts even without the doing. But Jesus commends the son who did the father's will, not the one who merely said he would. Do not content yourself with saying yes to God while not doing his will; it is the doing, not the saying, that counts. Let your obedience be in the doing, actually carrying out God's will, rather than merely professing it, as the first son did the father's will though he had first said no, while the second said yes but did nothing; for God's will is done by those who do it, not merely by those who profess it. Do God's will, not merely say you will.

Lord Jesus, you tell of a man with two sons. He asks the first to go work in the vineyard; the son says, I will not, but afterward changes his mind and goes. He asks the second; the son says, I'm going, sir, but does not go. Which of the two, you ask, did the father's will? The first, the one who actually went, though he had first refused. It was the doing, not the saying, that mattered. Show me the point: it is doing the father's will, not merely saying, that matters. The first son said no, but then did what was asked; the second said yes, but did nothing. And it was the first, the one who actually did the will, who is commended. Words of agreement without the doing are empty; it is the actual doing of the father's will that counts. Take that to my heart, for I can say yes to you while not doing your will, or think my saying is enough. I can profess obedience, saying the right things, while not actually doing your will, like the second son; or I can imagine that my profession is enough. But you commend the son who did the father's will, not the one who merely said he would. Keep me from contenting myself with saying yes to you while not doing your will; it is the doing, not the saying, that counts. Let my obedience be in the doing, Lord, actually carrying out your will, rather than merely professing it, as the first son did the father's will though he had first said no. Help me do your will, not merely say I will.