* Appearances - It Happened on the Monday

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.’ The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. 

  Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said,  ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.

  “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.   Matthew 21:28-31 NLT

This was Jesus' teaching on the day following His triumphant entry into Jerusalem - what we refer to as Palm Sunday. If we'd heard this exchange between the father and the first son, many of us would have offered our opinion about parenting such disobedience, and how to fix it Texas style - quick, fast and in a hurry.

This is one more illustrated sermon of God looking at the heart of a person rather than what is seen on the outside. I believe He was trying to drive home the point to His disciples before the nails were driven home. 

It's not so much what we do when people are watching. If we'd taken this parable at face value with one son saying no way and the other agreeing to go, we'd have gotten it all wrong. 

Do we do the same thing?  Do our hearts convict us? Do we hear AND obey? Do we reason ourselves into obedience or into rebellion? 

It's Monday following Palm Sunday - how does your Monday appear to have gone?

Prayer:

Father,

          Let our hearts and minds be renewed in You so that they ALWAYS override our poor choices - especially those made for appearances' sake. Help us, O God! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.