Don’t Make Up Your Mind
“Which of the two sons 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 preaching righteousness, and you did not believe him, but they did; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds.” – Matthew 21:31-32 (NRSVUE, adapted)
You know this story: A father tells his two sons to do their chores. The first says, “No way!” but eventually goes. The second jumps up, “Yes, sir!” but never shows. Jesus asks, “Which one obeyed?” His religious audience doesn’t blink. It’s obvious: “The first,” they reply. The obedient person is the one who actually does something. Quiz aced.
But Jesus isn’t done. He accuses them: People you consider sinners are entering the kingdom before you. Because you didn’t believe John, but they did; and even after you saw that, you didn’t change your minds.
For Jesus, the first boy does his father’s will not so much because he goes, but because—in order to go—he had to think twice, to correct himself, to change his mind. The religious people Jesus addresses are in trouble with God not so much because they are bad or hypocrites, but because they won’t bend. They lack spiritual agility, the capacity to think the better of something and turn around.
When deeds match words, we lead coherent lives. Merely coherent lives. But there’s a greater depth: to become fully responsive to God is to accept the fallibility of being creatures and adopt the flexibility proper to the very good chance that we could be wrong.
The question about who does God’s will is not answered by prompt obedience, at least not by prompt obedience alone, but by letting Christ dismantle our defenses and change our minds.
Prayer
Give me the grace not to make up my mind, Christ Jesus. Make me permanently convertible, always ready to think again.
About the AuthorMary Luti is a long time seminary educator and pastor, author of Teresa of Avila’s Way and numerous articles, and founding member of The Daughters of Abraham, a national network of interfaith women’s book groups.