“What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.&sdquo; He answered, ‘I will not’; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir’; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax-collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you.”
(Mt 21:28-31)
This parable complements the former. What really matters in a person's life is the milestone with which he decides to live as per the Laws of Creation, that is, to comply with the Will of his Creator. The possible initial contradiction, based on any motive, is not decisive anymore because he himself gave another direction, as if a rod changed the railway track, altering his own destiny. Conversely, the other one definitely knows that he must change his ways, just proposes here and there but makes no definitive move to maintain permanently and securely the new direction. Here again it is clear the necessity to transform into action any good intention harbored by a human being. One's previous good intention has no value unless one acts accordingly. Empty words have no value, deeds has all the value. John advised his community: “let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action” (1John 3:18). Promise alone brings no good. This is typical of Pharisees who “do not practice what they teach” (Matthew23:3), from where came the common saying “follow what I say but do not do what I do.” Only when the intuitive will anchors firmly in the good then the thoughts, the words and acts will mold accordingly. This is the son that really went to work in the father's vineyard, in late time, but accomplishing His will.