Lent Day #11

On Saturday, we started looking at what is commonly known as the Parable of the Prodigal Son, which actually seems to hinge more on the Loving Father. The severely abridged version of the story to this point: a younger son asks for his inheritance and his father does the improbable by consenting. The son blows all the money having a good time, then goes broke and feels like he's hit the bottom of life. The son comes home to ask to be a servant, but the father comes running to greet him and throws a party to welcome him home. Then this happens...

Luke 15:25-32 (ESV)
25 "Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.' 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, 'Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!' 31 And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'"

THOUGHTS:
What do you think about this?

The elder son seems like a bit of a bookkeeper -- rather stuck-up about rules and business matters. He finds out that his ungrateful little brother has come home -- the same brother that had zero respect for the father's life and asked him to enact his will early. So he sits outside the party and pouts. The older brother's feelings are justified, right?

The father comes out and tries to talk him down from his anger, and the elder brother responds with a litany of how he keeps the rules, he runs the business, and he never gets to have any fun. He sounds bitterly jealous about the fun his younger brother had, and bordering enraged about the fact a party is being thrown for the little bugger. He also makes it sound like the father never gave him anything...

The father points out that, although his bookkeeping may be accurate, it simply isn't true that the younger son gets everything while the elder son does not. In verse 31 he's basically saying "My last will and testament has already been put into effect. I own nothing anymore, and everything I have comes from your table. If you don't have any fun, that's your choice. You are abiding by your own rules -- all I can give is advice. You already own everything!"

The same father that shows overflowing grace to the younger son is now judging the older son, not for his actions, but for his mindset. He seems irritated that the older son just doesn't get it.

The father continues in verse 32: "We aren't rewarding your brother based on his actions. We are celebrating the fact he has come home. He is no longer dead, but resurrected -- alive! Now please forget about the accounting ledger, quit sulking on the stoop, and come join the party -- come live with us!"

Sometimes I hear sermons framing this whole story around the younger "bad brother" and the older "good brother" -- and that we should be more like the older brother. I think this story is about the loving father, who I think is supposed to tell us something about what God is like.

What do you think? What does that mean?

Do you spend your energy accounting for your deeds and the actions of the others, or do you spend it living life?

PRAYER:
Dear loving God, help us to understand how to live, how to swim in your grace, and how to carry out your will. In Jesus name, AMEN.