"The first son sounds like a grump, hard to live with. His first reaction tended to be No. He and others probably suffered from his grumpiness but you could still trust him to help. The second son was a charmer; he flattered but deceived his father. When he should have been working, he found something better to do."
I kind of rolled my eyes when I read this. Then I thought about it and was, oddly, comforted by the thought that my obedience matters to God-- even when I obey grudgingly! With a bad attitude! It still matters that my actions are obedient, even if my heart isn't in it.
I'm holding on to that today. My actions matter more to God than my attitude/feelings about being obedient. Not that this is license to grumble-- no.
But I can trust that as I act in obedience, my heart will follow.
2 comments:
I was struck with "changed his mind" and Jesus' chastising the scribes and pharisees for not changing their mind. I went and looked it up in Kittel. The word (metamelomai) means "regret" or "relent" and it's related to repentance, (metanoia) but isn't the same. The first son said no and then regretted it and went and obeyed anyway. (Repentance would be, perhaps, to become the kind of son who would say yes and go do as asked.)
It's interesting to think of this story with the other story of the two sons: one who runs off and squanders his inheritance, and the other who WAS obedient and resentful.
I know. Too much to to think about at once. I do that.
We all find ourselves in both catagories at some time, Kris. I guess that's why both stories are included? To be encouraging for us when we are the grumpy obidient one or when we are the one who squanders God's gifts.
I do like that God favors those who are repentant even if they begrudingly are so! (I completely relate to this story.)
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