Today is going to be a short one! So far we have seen how the father didn’t respond as expected when it came to his younger son’s departure and return. He also would have turned some heads when it came to how he responded to his older son as well.
Remember last week how we highlighted how disrespectful the older son was? Well, given how we now know how patriarchal Middle Eastern society was, how do you think it should have gone over once the older son got his two cents in?
Not very well at all.
Again, the father could have met his son with physical blows in response to how the son addressed him and rejected the party invite.
Did he do this?
No! He tenderly responds with, “My son…”
Despite the hissy fit, the father STILL wanted him at the feast. The father wanted BOTH sons there. It didn’t matter how they sinned. He wanted BOTH of his children, which, as we saw, represents two ways to sin. The “traditional” sinners AND the Pharisees! Together! At the feast!
The father wasn’t about to disown the younger, but he wasn’t about to disown the older, either. As long as the older could swallow his pride, he could enter the feast. In fact, his pride was the only thing standing in the way between him and celebrating with His father! The choice was all his. In turn, it’s also the very the same choice Jesus was presenting to the Pharisees.
It’s the same choice we have today. Can we swallow our pride so we can truly be in the presence of our Father?
You see, the father’s love was offered wholly AND equally to both sons. Both were wrong, but both belong to him. Jesus isn’t pitting the two brothers against each other. He isn’t saying one is more or less right than the other. He is leveling the playing field by saying both are wrong. The father alone is the righteous character in this story.
If the father isn’t segregating by types of sin than neither should we. He alone is the one who is righteous enough to judge and save!
Yes, different sins carry different consequences, but let’s stop thinking we are better OR worse than someone because either they or us sin differently. If God allows both into His presence than so should we….and we should do so in love, not apprehensively or resentfully, because that is not the example we have playing out here.
We are almost done with our time together in this series, but first I have a bit more to share with you. Join me tomorrow?
Until then,
Helen
Accompanying Playlist
Did you know I created a worship playlist just for this series?!
Celebrate a good, good Father who is always calling and welcoming his children home!
Living Simply With God 