“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.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.
(Matthew 21:28-32, NRSV)
Have you ever told someone you could not do something for them, but then went and did it any way?
Have you ever told someone you would do something, and then didn’t actually do it?
This last one, I bet we all have done.
I have spoken with lots of followers of Christ, who say they have told someone they would pray for them or their need, and then never did pray. We tell people all the time, I’ll pray for you, and how many of us actually do? We say, “yes I can pray for you and I will…” then life gets in the way and we don’t. Why?
You see in the reading the prostitutes and tax collectors are those who say they will not do, but then through God’s consistent and overwhelming love they repent, they change, and they do. And we, as the Pharisees, say we will and we don’t follow what God has asked us to do.
As for praying for others, why not when they ask?
What is wrong with praying in Wal-Mart, or JCPenney, or Kohls, or whatever store you are in? At the football, basketball, soccer game? At the mall, the restaurant, the bowling alley, or wherever you are? You can pray on the phone, on Skype… When someone asks you to pray for them, stop and pray right there. Do what has been asked, rather than giving ourselves an out, just be the saint God has made you and go to your father in pray for the need of the other.
Live your faith out loud and be a dealer of hope!
aSacredRebel 