Unshackled Moments ~ June 2 ~ The Third Son

“But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ 29 He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. 30 Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?”
Matthew 21:28-31a

This is the parable Jesus spoke of the two sons, and for the record, the correct answer is the first son is the one who did the will of His father. A quick jab at the Pharisees to let them know that they aren't fooling God with their lip service and hard hearts. It is better to have selfishly refused to obey God and to respond to His call than it is to say Yes with the lips but no with the heart, to continue to live for self.

But what about the third option? The third son who's missing from the story who was asked of His father to work, said yes, sir and showed up on time and worked until the job was done without complaint? What about Him? Jesus didn't mention that Son, because He is the only one who ever lived that way in perfect submission and response to the Father. The rest of us at best are second sons, at worst are first sons, and in truth are likely some of both in practice. We can't go back and change the past. We've all fallen short, but we can be forgiven. We can also, now that we have finally discovered grace and responded with the heart to the call of God, continue to walk in it. Now that we've showed up to do His will as the second son, let us keep showing up and start saying yes more and more. By grace and through discipline and because the past is under the blood we can become like the third son, who wasn't in the story but told it.

Abba, more and more let me be like Jesus, walking closer and closer with You in perfect submission and obedience in positive response to Your every call. Forgive me when I fall short of that goal. Thank You for loving me even though I all too often I have said yes and didn't follow through and just as often, if not more, I have said no and meant it. Amen.