IT is easy to mistake good intentions with the necessary actions required by true, living faith. The parable of the two sons (Matthew 21:28-32) strongly reminds us that we shall be judged on our actions and not just on our sweet intentions.
The good turned disobedient
There are those who to others look good and sound good and themselves feel good. They know what is proper and what they should be attending to. They intend to be doing so, and they say so. Hence, they readily appear to others as ideal and exemplary, and they easily think so of themselves. Such were the religious leaders during the time of Jesus. They felt secure enough in their patented religious sophistication, they paid no heed to John the Baptizer’s call for repentance and transformation. They did not believe Him, as they refused to change any of their ways.
Jesus, akin to John, came but the religious leaders would not take Him seriously either. He told them what the Father’s will really is, but they held themselves beyond His teachings. They knew all about the law of God, though they fell short of living according to it. They were very much like the son in the parable who knew how to say yes to his father’s wish, but was not really interested to carry it out. These are people who appear to the public as good and who think of themselves as good, but who in God’s eyes are not among His authentic obedient children. They have the right words and slogans but not the right, consequent actions.
The disobedient turned good
There are those who in the assessment of others would be “the last” in any line to heaven and “the least likely to succeed” in the project. They are persons who seem not to know what is good for them, and who appear to be constantly doing the wrong thing. They may even be themselves resigned to the fact of being numbered among the astray and outcasts of society. Such were the religious undesirables during the time of Jesus, like the prostitutes and tax collectors considered lost and beyond redemption. But when they heard John the Baptizer, they believed him and opened themselves to God’s mercy and turned to change their lives.
Jesus preached His gospel of forgiveness, and the sinful and the poor ones availed themselves of the chance to be born again in the spirit. They received love and they discovered hope; they saw conversion as vital and possible. They were very much like the other son in the parable who earlier outright said no to the father’s wish, but thought the better of it and changed his mind and did carry out the paternal command. Initially, such persons may have been misled and began their life’s journey with the wrong, worldly values, but later they become enlightened and in truth and in humility learn what actually will lead them to eternal life.
Alálaong bagá, to be part of God’s kingdom, we must be among those who carry out the divine will in the world: the obedient ones to God’s word in the realities of life, not those who know only how to make verbal avowals while failing to translate the same into deeds. It is action, not mere lip service that counts; doers of the word, not just theorists; fruits delivered, not merely promising blooms. Openness to the truth and readiness to change are clearly needed for a course into the future according to God’s plans. The disobedient and wicked ones can still change their mind and turn away from evil and become good, but the good can also still turn from good and become evil and disobedient. No one can really rest and write a definitive resume for oneself or for anybody until it is over. Crucial is that one be willing to correct past mistakes and indiscretions and change for the better. Those persons complacent with their good intentions may well find themselves excluded, while those written off already beforehand may well be entering the kingdom of God ahead of others. Indeed, the first shall be last, and the last, first.
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