Hey Advent Family,
“What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.” He said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards he changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did his father’s will?” – Matthew 21: 28-31
Being born in the vineyard isn’t enough. It’s a great start, but at some point, we must choose to stay. We are called to accept God’s invitation and the responsibilities that come with finding our place in His vineyard. But it is still a choice we make, and our response isn’t always easy or straightforward.
There is a saying, often attributed to St. Teresa of Avila, that God writes straight with crooked lines. I rather like that image. There are many paths, rocky roads, unexpected turns, and perhaps even a few hiding places in the vineyard. Sometimes our yes turns out to be a no, and sometimes what begins as a no eventually becomes a yes.
Both of the two sons are asked to work in their father’s vineyard. One says yes but never goes. The other says no but later changes his mind and does the work. I wonder how often we find ourselves behaving like one of those sons.
Writing these devotions has been an interesting experience for me. I don’t consider myself a particularly “publicly” prayerful person, and I am certainly not a theologian. When our then Senior Pastor invited ministry leaders to take turns sharing their reflections, I wasn’t at all sure I wanted to participate. In fact, my first response was no.
I didn’t feel qualified. What could I possibly say that would be meaningful to someone else? But eventually I agreed to write one series. Just one. (Rather like that one Midnight Mass I agreed to sing many years ago!)
And then I wrote another. And another. And now, for better or worse, I’m part of the rotation!
Looking back, I recognize that this was another invitation into a different part of God’s vineyard. This time, I wasn’t being asked to sing, but to share something of my own journey of faith, in the hope that it might help someone else encounter Christ.
Maybe this is what the parable of the two sons is asking us to consider. Our first response doesn’t have to be our final answer. Sometimes we say yes because it seems like the right thing to say, but never quite get around to doing what God asks. Other times we say no because we’re afraid, uncomfortable, uncertain, or convinced that someone else could do a better job. But God continues to invite us.
What I have learned through writing these devotions is that I am still growing, still walking with the Lord, and hopefully doing the work He wants me to do. I am learning to recognize those opportunities to say yes, even when they make me uncomfortable, and even when my first instinct is to say NO.
Perhaps finding our place in the vineyard isn’t about always knowing the right answer. Perhaps it’s about being willing to change our answer when we recognize that God is calling.
To Ponder:
Is there something God may be asking of me that I have been hesitant to do? What would it take for my no to become a yes?
Let’s Pray, Lord, help me recognize Your invitation, even when it takes me outside my comfort zone. Give me the courage to change my answer when I need to, and the faith to follow through when I say yes. Amen.
Still listening, still learning, still answering His call,
Cecilia Carroll
Advent Square Director