When You Say One Thing but Then Do Another

Part 3 in a short series on a particular way of seeing the world (and ourselves, and others) that can truly improve both our lives and our relationships.

So far we explored a lesson I learned recently while weight training, then we listened in as one of the more maligned characters from The Fellowship of the Ring showed us a very important lesson about life.

Today, by way of a short parable of Jesus, I want to add our third and final statement as I’m building out a particular perspective on life and people and relationships that, I believe, dramatically improves our well-being.

In one of his many confrontations with the Pharisees, Jesus told a parable designed to contrast the different ways that the religious folk (such as the Pharisees) responded to the calls of John the Baptist to repent, versus the ways that “sinners” (ie, tax collectors and prostitutes) responded.

Matthew 21: 28-31 CEB

28 “What do you think? A man had two sons. Now he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.'

29 “‘No, I don't want to,' he replied. But later he changed his mind and went.

30 “The father said the same thing to the other son, who replied, ‘Yes, sir.' But he didn't go.

31 " Which one of these two did his father's will?" They said, "The first one." Jesus said to them, “I assure you that tax collectors and prostitutes are entering God's kingdom ahead of you.

The point is hard to miss.