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Editor’s
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THE
OLDER BROTHER
In
Luke 15:11-32 we read the story of what is known as the parable of the Prodigal
Son. One son requested his share of the family’s inheritance,
went to a far off country and squandered it on wild living. After his money was
gone, so were the “friends,” and he was left destitute. He found work taking
care of pigs but still did not have enough food to survive, so he decided to go
back home, remembering that even his father’s servants were far better off than
he was. Humbling himself in true
repentance for his rebelliousness, he heads home. His father, who had been waiting
and watching, sees him coming while yet a great distance away and runs to receive
him back with hugs and kisses and perhaps some shed tears. The father provides
him with clean clothes and tells his servants to prepare a feast to celebrate
this grand event of having back his son who was lost but now is found.
While
this is all going on, the older son is still working out in the fields. On
returning to the house, he hears music and a celebration in progress. He asks a
servant what is going on. He is told that his brother has returned home and
they are celebrating his return. We read
of his reaction in verses 28-32: “The older brother became angry and
refused to go in. His father went out and pleaded with him, but he answered,
‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never
disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could
celebrate with my friends. But when this
son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home,
you kill the fattened calf for him!’ ”‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always
with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad,
because this brother of yours was
dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
Jesus
was directing this parable and the two preceding ones towards the Pharisees and
their “self-righteous” attitude. Nevertheless, we might find some of these same attitudes
in ourselves at times, if we open our hearts to the lessons being taught in
this parable. Let’s analyze this older son’s attitude.
1. He is angry and jealous and concerned
over things that was none of his business. It was the father’s right to have
made this decision. What is our reaction
when we see the Lord blessing others more that ourselves? Are we glad and rejoice with them; or are we
just a little envious thinking that we deserve better?
2. He apparently didn’t appreciate
all his father had provided for him for he says “all these years I have been slaving for you. Surely, love was not
the motivation behind his work. He must have considered it a heavy burden and
worked with resentment. He saw no generosity in his father’s dealing with him. What is our motivation for doing what the
Lord has graciously put into our hands. Do we consider
it a heavy load to bear or do we consider it a blessing and a privilege and put
our all into it because we love the One who trusts us with His work?
3. It is interesting to note that
even while claiming to have always obeyed his father’s wishes, at that very
moment he is in the process of rigidly refusing his father’s request to join in
the celebration. Do we rejoice with those
who, after repenting of their sin, are reinstated by our Father and receive His
blessing? Are we there to help in their
restoration or do we stay aloof, feeling somewhat superior?
4. He has totally disowned his
brother, calling him “your son” and judged him without proof of
“squandering the father’s property with prostitutes.” Here we have evil
surmising and judgment rendered unjustly, without any proof. He distances
himself and wants nothing to do with him. How pathetic was this older son as we
step back and take a closer look at his words and heart attitude. What a
picture of the attitudes of many of the Pharisees who looked down with disdain
upon publicans and sinners, finding fault with Jesus when he ate with them. What is our attitudes
towards those outside of Christ? Do we distance ourselves from them, or do we
show compassion and seek their welfare as did Jesus. Especially, how do we
react when one of our Christian brothers and sisters who has gone astray, returns
to the fold with a repentant heart and seeks our fellowship?
5. Perhaps, he may have been
concerned that with his brother’s return it might lessen his part of the
inheritance. He was more concerned with property than he was for his brother’s
welfare. Greed is always just around the corner. It is a condition so easy to slip
into. How willing are we to let go of
what is ours?
6. He tries to shift the blame of how he feels onto the
father by saying, “you kill the fattened
calf for him!” He also blames
the father for never honoring him in this fashion; he who has been so faithful
and has worked so hard. We see the underlying jealousy that had filled his
heart. It also seems that he did not appreciate all the father was willing to
share with him, as seen in the words, “everything
I have is yours!” Are we envious at times to the attention paid others? Do we appreciate
fully all we have been given, ‘in Christ?’
Even
though this parable was directed at Pharisees, perhaps to get them to
reconsider their “self-righteousness” and learn the mercy and compassion of God
towards sinners; let us not take the position that this could never apply to
us. If we do, then we may have entered into the camp of the Pharisees.
This
parable wasn’t meant to convict those who are lost and come to that realization,
such as the prodigal son, but rather to convict those who are lost and don’t know it. Its purpose is to show
the need for repentance and a change in attitude from one of self-righteousness
and “works” to one that acknowledges our need of God’s continual forgiveness
and grace. It is also meant to show the wonderful compassion of our Heavenly
Father to repentant “sons” and our need to be like our Father in heaven.
·
Let us resist the temptation to
jealously envy what others have. Rather,
may we rejoice with them in their restoration and blessings.
·
Let us never be ungrateful for all
that the Lord has done for us or given to us by neglecting to thank Him every
day.
·
Let us be always obedient to our
Heavenly Father as we seek to know and do His will willingly and with joy.
·
Let us never pre-judge anyone and
cut them off from our fellowship. Rather let us be understanding, compassionate
and help in their restoration.
·
Let us always be more concerned
with the welfare of others, both materially and spiritually even at a cost to
ourselves.
·
Let us never make excuses for our wrong
attitudes and blame them on others, especially our Heavenly Father.
E. Weeks
“Blessed are the merciful
for they shall receive mercy.”
Matthew 5:7