Matthew 21:28-46

You’ve likely heard the quote, “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.” It is likely an adaptation of several similar quotes including that of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (1670), “Hell is full of good wishes and desires.”

Intentions, plans, ideas, and promises are all wonderful things unless they stay in the unfinished box or the “To-Do List”. That’s where good ideas go to die.

And a place in which I regularly put too much mental effort.

Jesus’ parables in Matthew 21 had a very pointed message to the Jewish religious leaders. It’s Palm Sunday, Jesus had just entered the Jerusalem Temple and was confronted by the chief priests and elders. Instead of listening to Jesus, and John the Baptist before him, they questioned his authority, challenged his teaching, and continued to lead themselves and the people astray. They were intent, but in their own way, not God’s way. (Even though they thought it was God’s way!)

They were not paying attention, majoring on the minors, so to speak. Focused on the smaller matters of the law and missing the most important part. It’s actually pretty easy to get distracted by minor things that we often deem more important than they really are.  

While the intent of the religious leaders seemed good (staying true to their traditional view of scripture), they forgot about the underlying and more important focus…

…people (and for which the Law was given).

In the parable of the two sons, the one who ultimately obeyed was the one who said he wouldn’t. His action was greater than his intent.

So is ours.

Action will always outperform intention, so maybe this Lent, we work on paving a different path with our actions.