Read Luke 15:25-32
The parable of the Prodigal Son isn’t just about the wayward child who returns home after spending his father’s fortune. If that were true the story would have ended with the father calling for a celebration. Instead, Jesus finishes the story by letting us know what happened to the other son.
The older son probably thought a lot about the day his brother would return. I bet he played out the scene in his mind over and over. There would have been plenty of “I told you so’s.” he would enjoy watching his brother beg to be accepted back. He might have even conceded that his brother would eventually be welcomed home, but he would never have imagined there would be a party.
The older brother’s refusal to join the celebration says a lot about how he thinks the world should operate. Many of us operate on the same system. We believe good people deserve good things, and bad people deserve… not as good things. Some people even have a term for this system. They call it Karma. The problem is God doesn’t operate this way. His grace is for everyone. Just like the father in the story, God celebrates every child who returns home. He doesn’t hold our failures against us. The bible tells us that God is just, but thanks Jesus’ sacrifice, He is also merciful.
In the end, the father’s love and acceptance for his wayward child is the very thing that keeps the older son from being able to go home. Instead of feeling unworthy, his isolation is because he feels he has been cheated. The older son is angered by his father’s choice to show his brother unconditional mercy. In essence he is saying, “If my brother got this, why didn’t I get something better? I deserve something better!”
It is important to note that the father’s response to his older son’s complaints. The father does scold the older son for being selfish. He simply tells him, “You are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.” Ironically, the son feels he is owed something that has always been available to him. Instead of joining in what would have been a wonderful celebration, he is too focused on what he thinks he doesn’t have. Except he does have it!
The self-indulgent failings of the prodigal son are usually easy to recognize. The self-righteous attitude of the older brother is much harder to identity. Do you consider your thoughts as much as you judge your actions?
What do you think about the older son’s refusal to join the party?
Day 6 of 7 from the 2017 Mission Discovery Devotional
