Today, I’m going to write about the parable of the Prodigal son, but from a different angle.
We’ve always heard it narrated from the angle of God’s infinite sea of forgiveness, which knows no bounds. Indeed, I am truly grateful for a Father who’s given me countless new slates to begin again, every time I realize that I’ve messed up and run to Him.
I’ve been thinking about the Prodigal Son’s big brother and I’ve tried putting myself in his shoes. What could he have been thinking? I mean, he was the plain, level headed, mature and dependable one. He could be trusted and his father relied on him. He wasn’t fool hardy or given to silly dreamy ideas. This one had his head out of the clouds and feet firmly on the ground. He doesn’t come across as exciting. Just your regular, everyday dependable guy.
The problem is that every day dependable people tend to be –well – forgotten. Back then and even now. We like excitement. People who are the life of the party. People who bring excitement and spontaneity to the table – headline grabbers. But these people tend not to stick to anything for too long, so we need our dependable and non-exciting people who will consistently show up day after day to do what needs to be done.
Like the Prodigal Son’s older brother, I count myself as a member of the everyday dependable league. I can almost feel his disappointment and maybe, disgust at the antics of his younger brother. He probably rolled his eyes – what is it this time? He must have hurt as his father pined for his dramatic, immature younger brother. He must have felt unappreciated, taken for granted – I probably would. Perhaps he should run away too – if that’s what it takes to be loved and noticed around here.
And in the end, when his brother realizes his folly and returns home to the forgiving arms of a loving father, big brother can’t hide his feelings any more. What about me? Where’s my own reward? What do I get for staying and for being faithful? His father tells him: ‘everything I have is yours’. Well, I’m not too sure about this. As the first son, he was entitled to a lion’s share of his father’s inheritance. But I suspect that beyond that, big brother wanted affirmation, acknowledgement, he wanted to be appreciated for his faithfulness and consistency.
Are there any “Prodigal Son big brothers’’ in your life? People for whom you’ve grown so used to their consistency and faithfulness, that you might now be taking it for granted? Stop to say thank you. Appreciate them. We do it to God as well. This morning, I thought about how I’m so certain that God is there for me all the time that I might be taking it for granted. And that’s just wrong.
If you’re wondering what the point of this long post is today, it is remember to appreciate the people in your life. Thank them. And appreciate God for his faithfulness to you too.
Selah.