There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first one and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ ‘I will not,’ he replied. But later he changed his mind and went. Then the man went to the second son and told him the same thing. ‘I will, sir,’ he said. But he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” Matthew 21:28-31
I like how God uses parables and stories to illustrate truths and unveil insights about how His kingdom operates.
He uses the relational difference between servants and friends to illustrate the intimacy of relationships that He is looking for. (Read John 15:15). Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son illustrates not just the need for reconciliation of the lost son to the father, but the other son’s need to reconcile to the father’s heart and purpose.
In this interesting parable yet of another pair of sons, the most important part of the parable was the question posed by Jesus “Which of the two did the will of his father?”.
Notice that the question was not phrased “which of the two said yes to the father?” Because it is not in the “yes” more than it is in the “done” that God is looking for.
What is it that God is getting you to do today?
This parable underscores the importance of recognising the sin of omission (what you should do that you did not do) as much as the sin of commission (what you should not do that you did). In short, we need to follow through what we need to do with action.
God is looking for you and I – His children, to stand in the gap in this crucial hour that He is rallying His church to do His will!