Listen

“What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ He answered, ‘I will not’; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir’; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.”

Matthew 21:28-31a

Think

It would be an understatement to say that I’m easily distracted. (In fact, my phone vibrated while typing that last sentence and after returning a text I decided I was thirsty. Walking back from the kitchen, I opened Instagram and spent the next 15 minutes finding a picture to post. After all of that, I almost forgot why I told you I was easily distracted!) When I read this passage, I wonder if the second brother is getting a bum rap. I mean, what if he said “yes” but then got distracted by a bumble bee or pretty girl or he suddenly remembered he had forgotten something at school? What if he always intended to get around to doing the father’s will, but ran out of time?

Most days I rest peacefully knowing that God is patient and understanding, but there are pieces of scripture that remind me that there can be an urgency to the call of the Kingdom. There are moments when we are expected to serve or be present with those in need, and we must put aside other, sometimes very important things, in our lives. As children of God, we must order our lives, our schedules, and our interests to be in line with those of God’s Kingdom.

Lucas Dorion

Pray

God, make us mindful today of how we spend our time and our energy. May the priorities of your Kingdom and the needs of the people you love dictate our schedules and the rhythms of our lives. Amen.

Go

Go now into the world confident that you are not alone, and at peace knowing that God will be with you wherever you find yourself this day.