Can you imagine what the
Prodigal Son's brother thought? You do know the story don't you? A man's son,
the youngest son mind you, wanted his share of his inheritance so he could go
out and do his thing.
He spent the money on
"riotous living" and in no time had spent the entire stash. He took
odd jobs, the lowest being working with the pigs. While he was slopping the
hogs he realized that the "servants" at his dad's place were fed
better and treated better than he was.
How humiliating. He had to try it his way. Ever
been like that? I have. Anyway, he tried it his way, you know, sewed the wild
oats and all that. Now he was going to have to go back and grovel to his
father.
Switch the scene to the father's ranch. Dad is sitting
on the porch, as has been his custom since his baby boy left him. Sipping on
some tea and just looking down the road toward the sunset. An evening ritual of
his, in hopes that someday he would see his beloved son come back to him. As he
peers down the dirt road, squinting from the sun, he notices something or
somebody moving toward the house. Could it be? His heart was racing, he began
to sweat.
Closer and closer the person came. It looks a
little like my boy. Very disheveled though. Yes, I think that's him. He sets
down his tea, gets up from the chair and begins to walk toward the figure
partly obscured by the sunrays. As he gets closer, the man waves toward the boy.
The boy returns the wave and begins to jog toward his dad. His dad doesn't wait
for him, he begins to run toward his son. Finally they meet and the old man
embraces the younger man. They hug and cry and hug some more.
The father yells at all the others, "Go kill that fat calf, my son is returned unto me, let's party. He puts a nice robe on the boy and gives him a ring for his hand and shoes for his feet. Very touching indeed.
Now switch to the field. The oldest son is looking on in disbelief. He calls to one of the servants and asks to be brought up to speed as to what is transpiring. The servant tells him that his brother has returned and his father is having a barbecue and a half. The son is beside himself.
The father yells at all the others, "Go kill that fat calf, my son is returned unto me, let's party. He puts a nice robe on the boy and gives him a ring for his hand and shoes for his feet. Very touching indeed.
Now switch to the field. The oldest son is looking on in disbelief. He calls to one of the servants and asks to be brought up to speed as to what is transpiring. The servant tells him that his brother has returned and his father is having a barbecue and a half. The son is beside himself.
Look what he tells the old
man:
But he was angry and
refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 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. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with
prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!' And he said to him, 'Son,
you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to
celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was
lost, and is found.'" (Luk 15:28-32 ESV)
That may have done it for the
son, but I don't know if I could have bought into it or not. When you are
sulking or pouting it is hard to be restored in the snap of a finger. I'm sure
Dad's intentions were great, but when you are hurt you are hurt. Let's face it! Actually, the father in this
parable represents God and the Prodigal represents a child of God who has gone
astray. The eldest son is playing the part of a dependable, trustworthy,
immovable Christian.
Sometimes Christians act like
the Prodigal's brother. They aren't happy that someone has been brought back
into right fellowship. He seems to think the man should have gotten the left
foot of fellowship on the behind. A spark of ol' green eyes (jealousy) creeps
up and makes the Christian's world seem a little strange. I mean, he thinks,
"I've been here all along. I pay my tithes, I come every service, I do
everything I am supposed to do. This man, this drunk, this whoremonger, this
thief comes waltzing back in and we are to just take him back like nothing ever
happened?" That's what God says. Like it or not, welcome him back and love
him to death.
