One of the greatest things we can give another person is our word. In fact, there are those who believe that our word is the only thing we have to give. But it’s easy to give our word. It doesn’t cost anything there and then. The cost comes later, if and when we honor our word.
Some people are very generous with their word. They will promise you the sun, moon and stars. But you can’t rely on them. They don’t really mean it. Their word is worthless. Their promises dissolve like salt in water. How painful it is to deal with such people. There is not one of us who has not experienced the pain of being let down by someone who failed to keep his/her word.
But there are others who are slow to give their word. They don’t make promises easily. But when they do make a promise, you can rely on them to honor it. Their promise is like a chain around their leg. How lovely it is to deal with such people.
When the father in Jesus’ story asked his two sons to go and work in the vineyard, one of the sons said an immediate and definite ‘yes’. He gave his solemn word that he would go. But he didn’t keep his word. He didn’t go. The other son also gave his word. He said he wouldn’t go. However, later he changed his mind and went.
Jesus was not holding either son up as an ideal. Yet we can learn from both. The son who said he would go but didn’t is meant to act as a warning to us. We call ourselves Christians but outsiders sometimes accuse us of being hypocrites because our lives do not bear witness to the faith we profess with our lips. Sin does not necessarily imply doing something wrong. The greatest sin is not to do good: the sin of inactivity, of doing nothing.
And we can learn from the son who said ‘No’ but later changed his mind. To change one’s mind is generally regarded as a fault and a weakness. But this is not always the case. It takes humility to admit one’s mistake, and courage to put it right.
The second son, because he finally obeyed his father, is a lot better than the first. The ideal son, however, would be the son who immediately and willingly carried out his father’s wishes. That is what we should aim at. Jesus is the ideal Son. As St Paul says, ‘He emptied himself and became obedient to the point of death, death on a cross. Therefore, God exalted him.’
The parable teaches us that promises can never take the place of performance, and fine words can never be a substitute for fine deeds.
Faithfulness is one of the greatest and most necessary things in life. But faithfulness is costly. It is not an easy road. It demands unselfishness and a spirit of sacrifice. But even here on earth it brings great rewards in terms of growth, serenity, and joy. There are no such rewards for the unfaithful. There is no happiness at the end of the day for the one who gives his word but fails to honor it. But there is great joy for one who gives his word and honors it.
It is said that a person is as good as his word. If that is so, then the question I must ask myself is: How good is my word?