Groan, but do the work

Jesus, help me do the work I have to, even when I don't want to! Amen.

"A man had two sons," Jesus said. "He told each one, 'Go work in the fields.' One said no, then changed his mind and went. The other said, 'I will,' but didn't go. Which son did what his father asked?" Jesus' listeners answered, "The first one." Jesus said, "In the same way, people you call 'bad' will get to heaven before you."

Most kids don't do work cheerfully -- at least, not at first. Your parents tell you to take your dog outside (which means cleaning up after him) and your first reaction is to groan, "I don't want to!"

Dogs are cute, though, and cleaning up after them is quick. You may not like it, but after you're done, you have enough fun playing with the dog that it's worth the work.

This week's Gospel (Matthew 21:28-32) describes a similar situation. A man who owns a farm tells his two sons to do some of the work. One moans and groans, but ends up working in the end; the other son agrees right away to work, but doesn't do anything.

It's best to do work gracefully, without groaning

about how unfair it is. If you have a dog, cleaning up is part of the deal.

On the other hand, work is called that because it's not always fun. Imagine the two sons in Jesus' story: They had to work on a farm before there were any machines! Any work they did must have been incredibly hard and exhausting.

Even Jesus says that it's better to complain a little and do the work than be cheerful but do nothing. But Jesus went further than that, too: He pointed out that, if you're sitting around doing nothing, you can't call other people lazy.

There's work for everyone in the world, and no one gets out of it. Jesus would tell you to groan if you have to -- but get it done!

(9/25/08)