Thursday, June 01, 2006

The Story of Two Sons Matthew 21-32


Matthew 21: 28"Tell me what you think of this story: A man had two sons. He went up to the first and said, 'Son, go out for the day and work in the vineyard.'
29"The son answered, 'I don't want to.' Later on he thought better of it and went.
30"The father gave the same command to the second son. He answered, 'Sure, glad to.' But he never went.
31-32"Which of the two sons did what the father asked?"
They said, "The first."
Jesus said, "Yes, and I tell you that crooks and whores are going to precede you into God's kingdom. John came to you showing you the right road. You turned up your noses at him, but the crooks and whores believed him. Even when you saw their changed lives, you didn't care enough to change and believe him.

I have been thinking alot on this story....something came up last nite that I'm not quite sure how it all plays into it but can't help but think it does. So I put it out here for your consideration and advice...another thing I think my life of stubborn unteachability has done for me, there are none who feel as though talking to me is worth their time...she always does what she wants anyway...and while the truth of that stings and breaks my heart...I don't go easily yet into being soft and teachable......so anyway to my story.
I have always been the son who says 'sure, you betcha' (#2 son) and loved the looking good in saying it....and then gripe and complain about whatever I was asked to do......or maybe just TOLD everyone what 'they' had asked or perhaps said and how it was so ridiculous or hard or stupid...oh I would do it.....whatever it was......usually but with an amazing amount of..... martyrdom.
I loved looking like a better person than the one who flat out said NO (#1 son) or honestly struggled with the having been asked....??? I told you this in not yet all clear....

And now I honestly or try to honestly answer and come across as exactly what I JUDGED and then...

Then I WANT to do it... whatever it is (at least in this case) ...WANT to do it NOT to look good but because I thought about it and KNOW it is the right thing to do for all the right reasons......

I am selfish why is that such a fippin surprise.....the whole of yesterday wanting what I KNOW to drop like a stone and break my heart ....into doing what I KNOW I should and today feeling as though HE is doing just that.......weird how you can live your whole life one way and to find out how wrong it was in a hundred million ways wrong and yet He relentlessly pursues us to get us to see that in spite of that HE LOVES US......anyway that's what is rolling around in here today...

It's like
Lexi says...a pile of dirty rags.......

5 comments:

Bar L. said...

I love your transparency in sharing whats really going on inside...not everyone is willing to do that. I learn a lot about myself from what you share! I don't have any advice, sounds like you are learning what you need to learn. I think many of us do exactly what you do above. My problem is I say NO cause I don't care how I appear to others then I feel guilty for being selfish!

Jada's Gigi said...

Ahh the secrets of the heart...that is what this is really about, an honest heart....turning to Him...eventually... is far better than saying you are, playing you are...pretending...
Thank God He pursues us ...there is no condemnation in Christ...so just forget it all and turn...

Larry said...

Paul talks about wanting to do things but being shot down by "this body of death." What's wonderful about God (among other things) is his honesty. Once I'm covered by Jesus, God greets me with tender patience. He is resolutely honest about who I am, but gentle in that honesty.

Contrast that with ourselves. I judge myself very harshly. Christian language is full of "Break me, Lord!" "Wreck me." Well, we're already wrecked. What he has to do is, with great tenderness, rebuild what we've torn apart. It's strange, and it's not me, so I fight.

In this case, though, the hammer just isn't the right tool. Only God knows how to change and heal a soul, and each one is different. The core of the process is a demonstration of love that's foreign to us.

Gigi said...

I know you're right Larry and don't want to get caught up in semantics......I don't know that I'm wrecked ......I think I spent alot of my life wrecked to the point of woe is me and feeling sorry for myself....but now the wrecking like you said just is different.....it's like you say so very hard to articulate and I just appreciate your comments and the thoughts it brings up in me...thanks

Jim Martin said...

Becky,
I appreciate and admire your honesty and candor. I think that is probably the one place where many of us do not want to go. Sounds like you are trying to grapple with what is real in your life.