Matthew 21:28 “But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. 30 Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go. 31 “Which of the two obeyed his father?”
They replied, “The first.”
Then Jesus explained his meaning: “I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do. 32 For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins. (NLT)
Christianity has a provision for repentance. That’s changing your mind and changing your direction, in case you don’t go in for religious words.
What does that mean? According to Jesus, you can honestly say it’s not for me, and still find it’s for you.
You can change your mind about what’s real and important, and you can start right there, where you are.
If you missed the bus everyone else started on, if you didn’t get the t-shirt or learn the special vocabulary, it’s still for you.
If you aren’t religious and don’t have any church background, you can still go along with the Kingdom of God.
In fact- and this is great- you may wind up far, far ahead of those who made so much noise about what serious, enthusiastic, zealous, committed Christians they were.
You may be the one who, at the end of the day, chose to love God and his son, while those who sang all those songs saying they did….didn’t.
It’s good to know that Jesus doesn’t pay much attention to how things look, or how things sound coming out of the gate. He’s at the finish line, seeing who’s there, no matter how long it took them to start or how slow they were in running the race.
Pharisees. Priests. Tax collectors. Prostitutes. So what?
Who is it who actually, finally, genuinely shows up?
Michael,
Amen and Excellent. Love how you can say it with such “real” words.
~Amy :)
Isaiah 43:18-19
http://www.myspace.com/amyinsurprise
This is my favorite parable for those who train their children to “first time obedience,” believing that hitting it right on the money the first time it is the coin God trades in. No, it’s not.
Michael,
Truly inspired. Your post acknowledges the fact that we as “programmed” Christians need to be more real to those who may be new to the idea of the Christian faith. It is also a wake up call for the overly pious who believe because they know the talk that they are living the Christian life. I have to agree with Amy that you have a gift for expressing yourself with “real” words and in a way that is much more welcoming to the non-Christian than many of us who treat our faith too much like an exclusive club.
May God continue to bless your walk as you seek to become more Jesus shaped.
Good one, Michael.
“According to Jesus, you can honestly say it’s not for me, and still find it’s for you.”
That’s a real, simple, clear way of putting it. It’s great. God’s great.
And how many times have we as Christians sinned, and asked God, “Please forgive me!”; and God always says, “Yep.” He’s *always* prepared to forgive. What an example he sets for us.
There’s real hope for everyone; we should never give up praying for them and trying to set a good example of the Jesus-shaped life.
Thanks for the inspiration.
Once again Michael, thanks for another wonderful post. I really, really needed words like that on this day.