A Parable Comes To Life

Ever have those mornings when you EXPERIENCE a Bible story coming to life? I had one of those moments today.

Being the day after Christmas my oldest son was VERY eager to get out of bed and get downstairs to play his new favorite game. In fact, he was up at 5:00am, waiting outside my door, anxiously awaiting his dad to wake up and say, “Okay, go downstairs and play.”

So, I told him it was okay.

I then went downstairs, made my wife’s coffee (bonus points), and prepared breakfast for the kids. Now, I didn’t want to go in the basement to get my oldest nor did I want to shout for him to eat (as others were sleeping) so I sat down on the couch for my morning quiet time.

Shortly after my youngest came downstairs and, according to routine, immediately went to the table for breakfast. I asked him, “Isaiah, will you go downstairs and tell Jonah his food is on the table?” He obliged and went down the stairs. From the couch I could hear him say, “Jonah, food is on the table.” And he said it not once, not twice, not four times, but FIVE TIMES! Jonah was NOT about to listen. Jonah didn’t WANT to listen.

I sent my SON to share my MESSAGE and nobody would listen. He may have HEARD the message, but he wasn’t willing to FOLLOW.

I laughed as my youngest came upstairs and said, “Jonah won’t listen.”

I don’t know if he felt REJECTED, but the whole situation reminded me of Mark 12:1-2. Take some time this morning to read it and ask yourself, “Am I LISTENING to the son or have I REJECTED him?”