the movie "Pretty Woman".
There is a question Jesus asks the Chief Priests and Elders who approach Him in the temple as He is teaching. Matthew 21 records it. These C.P.E.'s are wanting to know by what authority Jesus is teaching...well actually I don't think they really wanted to know the answer to their question at all, they were just looking for ammunition to debunk the awesome teacher.
So...Jesus does what He does so well, He answers their question with a question...about the baptism of John's authority. He not only answers their question with a question, He also one-ups-them by telling them if they answer His question-- He will answer their question. In the famous words of today's youth, "SNAP"!
Now the C.P.E.'s are pressed into a logic corner; "...was it (John's authority) from Heaven or from man?".
As an aside, I just love reading in Matthew chapter 3 when Cousin John describes Jesus: "But he who is coming after me is mightier than I, Whose sandals I am not worthy or fit to take off or carry; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fan (shovel, fork) is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear out and clean His threshing floor and gather and store his wheat in His barn, but the chaff He will burn up with fire that cannot be put out."
Sorry... I digress...as I was saying. When the C.P.E.'s can not agree what to answer, Jesus throws them yet another question. This one is about two worker-bee sons. These two sons are requested by their father to work in his vineyard. Each son has a different response to their father's request. Jesus wants to know which son's response was the will of the father. The C.P.E.'s come up with their answer, (amazing they could agree) to which Jesus replies.
"Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the harlots will get into the kingdom of heaven before you."
*sound of loud buzzer*.... Wrong answer C.P.E.'s!!
Have you guessed where me reminding myself of Miss Vivian comes into the story? I am one of those harlots Jesus speaks of. The woman who sold herself cheaply to many a false redeemer! Julia Roberts, as Miss Vivian, gets paid obscene amounts of money in exchange for intimacy with Richard Gere as Edward Lewis--her redeemer. Thanks to him, Miss Vivian gets jazzy new clothes to wear and is instructed on how to enjoy the rewards of her Redeemer's gifts of riches (Get your mind out of the gutter dear readers!).
The brilliant worker-bee question presented to the inquisitive C.P.E.'s is even more amazing when Jesus offers an observation. He makes the point that the real tragedy (tragedy is my word not Jesus') is when the unbelieving C.P.E.'s do not change their minds once they have witnessed the harlots transforming belief in Christ!
The moral of this story: Watch out if you pride yourself in being more of a scripture brainiac goody two shoes than your local prostitute, it could get you into a real everlasting pickle...especially when you see that she does not look or act like a harlot anymore.
I love the new wardrobe my Redeemer purchased for me!!!
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