Inner thoughts after a good bible study
In bible study today we talked about the prodigal son.
There are a lot of things about this story that a lot of people like to hold on to. There’s the whole “well hopefully this person will be like the son and come back”. There is the other view of “you should be more like the father” or “you are/I am like the father”. Then there is the less used and more often missed third character, the third son. If you want to read the story its in Luke 15 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+15&version=NIV
Most of us can say we are like the prodigal son, we did something wrong (sinned, hurt someone, left home for a bit) whatever it may be. Some of us more than others relate more to this story. Then there are those others who want to be the prodigal son except they don't think their “father” will be accepting of them. I seem to be beating around the bush, let me just hack it down..
I am a prodigal son, I left, in much the same way as the son. Not completely, I didn’t take my inheritance. But I ended up coming back. And I didn't hit “rock bottom” I was actually fairly well taken care of and rather happy. I just looked at what I had and decided I needed to be there for my kids. They are the world to me.. (hold on while my daughter comes in and wants to sit with me) ..I would do anything for them. I understand the fathers role so much more now that I have kids. I understand how easy it would be to accept a child back even after they took so much. But I also get the brothers role.
Sometimes we are mad at the younger son, here he is going off and blowing everything he has on whatever he wants to do, not working, not taking care of anything. He comes back and Dad’s just like YAY! MY SON HAS RETURNED! I want you to go the the butcher, get the MOST EXPENSIVE beef you can find, and bring it back so we can throw a party. All while you’re thinking, hey, this is my money you're blowing now. You already gave him all of his and what's left is mine. I've been here this whole time, doing what I'm supposed to do holding the fort down, Taking care of the fields. meanwhile dad’s been actively watching for him to return when he should have just given up on him. and now you’re spending a ton on this lavish party taking away from what I’m supposed to get as an inheritance.
We can look at it from another angle, as a friend we can be bitter that someone has gone and done something we think is so terrible, and then they come back and we don't understand how the family can just say its okay. We hold it against them.
I have had a hard time being the brother too. I’ve sat there and felt all high and mighty that this person hurt me and I’m not happy with it and they need to get their act together. When in reality, as christians we need to be there for eachother, even when we hurt each other. And to not be upset with God that he has forgiven them for what we see as such bad things because they repented. Because when we harbor anger, hate and malice toward another, then we are committing a sin greater than the younger son has, because we are acting like the Pharisees with a holier than thou, spirit. Which God says is detestable.
