Matthew 21:32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.
A Wise Person Can Change His Mind
Some people never make up their mind. They just don’t know how to do it, and when they have finally made a decision, they second guess themselves and wish they had chosen something else. But there is something that is worse: people who will never change their mind. I am not advocating being wishy-washy. However, a wise person has the capacity to change his mind to the truth.
In Matthew 21:32, Jesus says to the religious leaders, “For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.” This comes on the heels of a parable about a man who told his two sons to go work in his vineyards. The first son said, “I will not go do it,” but afterward, he changed his mind and went. The second son said, “I will go,” but he did not go.
Jesus asked which of these two did the will of his father. Verse 31 says, “They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them… the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.” The publican and harlots, the “bad” sinners,” had repented, changed their minds in light of the truth, but the religious people did not.
There are two questions about which these people needed to change their mind in accordance to the real answer. The two questions were, “Who is Jesus?” found in verse 10, and “Who gave Jesus His authority?” found in verse 23.
A wise person has the capacity to change his mind to the truth. This requires three things. First, it requires paying attention. The religious leaders weren’t paying attention when the wise men came from afar to find the Christ child. The scribes and Pharisees knew where He would be born, but they didn’t even bother to go with the wise men to find Him. They weren’t paying attention.
Second, changing your mind to the truth requires reason, not feeling. We are talking about authority, not feeling. This chapter is full of the authority of God’s truth. Verse 4 says, “All this was done, that I might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet.” That is a reference to the Bible. Verse 13 says, “It is written.” Verse 16 says, “Yea; have ye never read?” Don’t you know what the Bible says? Again, in verse 42, “Did ye never read in the scriptures?”
In order to change one’s mind, he or she must have an authority. When I am confronted with the truth about myself, good or bad, in light of Jesus’ authority and the truth of His Word, then that is how I change my mind.
Third, changing your mind requires humility. Whom do you think would have had an easier time changing their mind, a well-respected gentlemen or some “low life” on the streets? What we call “low life” is a soul for whom Christ died, and anyone who is humble enough to know his need and God’s sufficiency can have the help that comes by changing his mind in accordance to the truth.