We are all familiar with Jesus’ story about the man who had two sons, one of whom took early possession of his inheritance and blew through it all in a short time. He had to return home, hat in hand, asking His dad for a job. The other son showed his wayward heart by his selfish and jealous reactions to his father’s gracious acceptance of his younger brother.

But Jesus told another story about another man with two sons. I like to call it The Parable of the Other Two Sons. You can read this parable in Matthew 21:28-32.

The man asked one son to go work in the field, but the son initially refused. Feeling remorse soon after that son then went into the field and did what his father asked him to do. In the meantime, the father asked the second son to go work in the field and the son readily agreed to do. The second son, even though he said he would, never actually made it out into the field.

Jesus then asked his hearers a simple question: which one of the sons did what the father wanted him to do? The answer obviously was the first son. The first son’s initial reaction was disrespectful and disobedience, but in the end his actions were obedient. The second son may have initially responded positively but for whatever reason never back up his words with his actions. He talked a good talk but he didn’t DO anything, and Jesus question was which one DID what his father wanted.

What about us? How often do we set out with good intentions, or make grand promises to God only to never follow up on them? Sometimes, procrastination may get the best of us or at other times we may have promised something knowing all the while we had no intention of carry it out. Make no mistake: obedience delayed is still disobedience.

Is there something you have promised God you would do that you have not yet done?

Is there something God has asked you to STOP doing that you are still doing?

It is never too late to start doing what is right. It is never too late to STOP doing what God has asked you to surrender.

When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. – Ecclesiastes 5:4-5