Day 434: Begrudging God's grace - Luke 15 vs 25 – 32

25-27 ‘Meanwhile, the elder 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.”

28 ‘The elder brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.  29-30 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!” 31-32 ‘“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.”’ Luke 15:25-32 New International Version

“Meanwhile . . . . back at the ranch.” In the story Jesus told of a younger brother who had sown his wild oats but then returned home hoping he could even be like one of the servants, it seems that the father had been looking out daily and longing for such a moment to come. Now, as the older brother nears home after a long and hard day working in the sun tending to the needs of the farm, he hears the sound of joyful songs and dancing. If we are honest with our self, would our response have been much different to his response as described in vs 28?

He explains his grievance and reasons for his bitterness in vs 29-30, and we can understand why he felt as he did, but what had he forgotten? (vs 31-32)

The father had never 'not loved him' and he already had daily free use of all the father's possessions. Yes he worked hard, but I'm sure he also enjoyed the provision and security that was his in the father's household. So he ought to have shared the father's delight when the brother who he may never have seen again returned home. If he had taken the trouble to go inside he would've seen that his brother had changed. The bravado and arrogance of the past was gone; the brother had been broken and humbled. Even to the point of willing to be a servant.

Verses 31-32 show us what the reaction should be from people who've been seeking to live lives that are right, towards those who have wasted their lives terribly in doing wrong, but have come to their senses and are trying to get their lives straight again. It can be difficult because often those people get all the fuss and attention, and are invited to 'give their testimonies', testimonies which are often dramatic and gain them even more attention. But those who have tried to serve God faithfully from a young age should keep in mind that His love has been with them constantly. He loves those who have sought to be faithful just as much as He loves the very wayward soul who repents and returns.

The big lesson for me here was to remember why Jesus told this story. It was because people who were self-righteous were deeply upset when Jesus mixed readily with people whose lives were so obviously sinful. It's possible for those who have kept to 'the good way' in life to mistakenly think that they were doing God a favour. Look again at the son's response in vs 29-30. It's as if he is saying “I'm the one who DESERVES what you are freely giving to this brother of mine who let you down”. The lawyers and Pharisees thought they were impressing God by observing strict religious rules and rituals. Yet if they really loved God, they would've served Him freely and gladly, and rejoiced greatly when sinners turned back to Him.

Do we sometimes feel that serving God is a bit like being a slave? (vs 29) Does it ever annoy us (though we would never admit it) when people who've spent many years 'having a good time' in sins that can give a lot of pleasure, suddenly repent? And what if they seem to progress faster and further in the faith than we have done? May God give us the grace to not begrudge His goodness to them, but to celebrate with Him and be glad, because a brother who was dead is alive again; and one who was lost has been found.”