It’s What You Do, Not What You Say
Jesus once asked the people one day,
“What do you think of this?” he did say.
“A father had two sons whom he loved,
And work to be done in the vineyard above.
He went to the first and kindly said,
‘Please work in the vineyard today instead.’
But the son shook his head and answered, ‘No!
I don’t want to work, and I will not go!’
But later he stopped and thought for a while,
He knew that his answer had not been worthwhile.
‘I made the wrong choice,’ the young man knew,
‘But I can still change what I choose to do.’
So off to the vineyard the first son went,
Ready to work, with a heart that was bent
On changing his ways and making things right,
By choosing what’s good in his father’s sight.
The father then asked his other son,
‘Will you work in the vineyard till the job is done?’
‘Yes, sir! I will!’ the second son said,
But he never went, he did something else instead.
Then Jesus asked, “Which son, would you say,
Did what his father had asked him that day?”
“The first!” they answered. And surely it’s true:
It’s not only what we say, but what we do.
Jesus was teaching the people to see
That God calls each person, you and me.
Sometimes we stumble. Sometimes we stray.
Sometimes we choose the more selfish way.
But making a mistake need not be the end;
We can change our hearts and begin again.
God welcomes the person who turns toward what’s right,
And chooses to follow his way and his light.
It’s good to say, “Yes!” It’s good to agree,
But our actions show who we’re trying to be.
Kind words are important, but here’s something true:
A promise means more when we follow it through.
So if you say “no” and later you find
That you should have answered in a way that was kind,
Remember the first son and what he came to know:
It’s never too late to turn back and go.
For God doesn’t ask us to always be right;
He asks us to listen and walk toward his light.
To change when we’re wrong and begin anew,
Because love isn’t only what we say. It’s what we do.
Inspired by Matthew 21:28-32.