In Matthew 21 Jesus tells of two sons who are asked to go out to work in their father’s field. One son says no but ends up going out and working in the field. The other son says yes but does not go. Jesus asks the scribes and Pharisees who did the father’s will. They reply that the one who went is the one who did the will of their father. It is the one who did the will of his father in the end.
Sometimes we struggle with what God is asking us to do or we hesitate to move in the direction that we can feel He is leading us. At first we say ‘no’ or we question or we may even try to ignore God, but usually if it is His plan then the nudges, the hints spoken by others, and so on get us moving in His direction. Often, once we are on the journey or in the midst of ministry, we wonder why we did not say yes right away.
Jesus often ate with sinners, healed people out in the streets, taught out in the open fields. He broke the ‘rule’ that God is only found in the temple. Sometimes we like to hold fast that rule too, to say that we will minister to those who need Jesus once they come to church. But in reality those who need Jesus are not inside our churches. As we hear and heed God’s call to make disciples, we too must say ‘yes’ and venture forth to seek out the lost. We too find them in the streets, out at the games, in the restaurants and bars, and so on. May we come to seek the lost as Jesus did, going to where He went to find those in need of the Good News.
Scripture reference: Matthew 21: 28-32