I’m reading a book called “Prodigal God”
by Tim Keller, and for me there are too many insightful light bulb moments
to count. This book unpacks the story of the Prodigal son, focusing mostly on
the older brother’s response. Let’s pick up the passage in Luke right after the
younger (Prodigal) son has returned and been warmly received by his father:
Luke
15: 20 - 31
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘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.’”
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘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.’”
I have to admit, it seems like the older
brother has a point. It doesn’t exactly seem fair does
it?
His reaction brings up a greater question
of entitlement. Is the Kingdom of God the Kingdom of fairness? Is it grace,
love and acceptance for only those of us who are good, or follow the rules? Do
we feel like God owes us an easy life because we’re pretty decent people?
How many of us as 21st century North
American Christians are acting like Elder brothers? Feeling entitled to
material comfort and wealth just because we’ve followed all the rules. Does God
promise ease and comfort for following him and being good? What in our human
nature makes us feel this way?
Tim Kellers says, ”Elder brothers believe
that if they live a good life, they should get a good life. That God owes them
a smooth road if they try very hard to live up to standards.” This
particular point seemed to hit home for me, because I definitely struggle with
the feeling that God owes me—that if I pray more, or work harder, he’ll spare
me anything hard in life. Now to be clear, I’m not swinging to one side of the
pendulum here. There are both good and bad consequences to what we do here on
earth. But God is after our hearts.
Always.
He wants a broken heart, and a contrite
spirit, more than he wants us to follow the rules or try to earn his
love.
Integrity and a pure heart should be the
response that overflows from our love and trust in him, not a means to gain his
love and mercy.
Life is a gift. We can’t earn it, and
it is meant to be lived in constant surrender, dependence, and love for our
father. He has given his children a promise that says, “everything I have is
yours,” and we can walk in that sonship with confidence, reverent love, and
thankfulness.
Let’s not let bitterness and entitlement
rule our hearts. Let’s pray that we would be transformed into people that are
always aware of our brokenness, and dependent on God to be good in our lives.
Nothing we do on our own will ever achieve that.
Thanks for reading,
Jon Neufeld
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