Listening in Action, Not Just in Word

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I have a two year old son.
He is absolutely amazing. 
I cannot imagine life without him. 

There, I got that out of the way, now to start with a story. This evening we were doing like we do every evening before putting Noah to bed. He had just finished watching a little "winding down" TV and it was now time to pick up some toys. 

But tonight, that is not what he wanted to do. I don't know if it was just because he was a little more tired than usual or he wasn't feeling well or what it was, but he began to cry. I said "alright, let's pick up." and the sobbing and defiance started. 

Only, it was just defiance in words. He kept saying "No...Noooooo...No..." over and over but was going around picking up his toys. It actually made me smile a little bit. Then I thought of a parable that Jesus told found in Matthew 21. 

28 “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go work today in the vineyard.’ 29 And he answered, ‘I will not’; but afterward he regretted it and went. 30 The man came to the second and said the same thing; and he answered, ‘I will, sir’; but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him.
God has called us to a new life in Christ. As Christians we are no longer to live in the sinful ways we lived before. And good works may not be able to save us, we are saved to do good works. There is just no getting around it.

We cannot sit idly by and think to ourselves "well I accepted Christ as my Savior, now I can live however I want." God is asking us to go into the fields and help with the harvest. According to Jesus "the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few." We must go!

One son tried to look good in just words but he is not the son here who was praised. Both sons did the opposite of what they said they would do, but the first actually did the will of the Father.

What is God calling you to do today? Do not put it off until tomorrow. There are people in your life right now who need to know the love of Christ. There are those who need forgiveness, hope, salvation, or even a friend. Stop plugging your ears to shut out the voice of the Father. Instead, listen to his voice and follow his commands.

We are promised blessing for following. We are told to love because He first loved us. Show that love today, by the living out of your faith. Go work in the field.