Lost! The Parables of Luke 15نموونە

“And he said, "There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.' And he divided his property between them.” Luke 15:11‭-‬12 ‬‬‬‬

We often call this the parable of the prodigal son. But it could equally be called the parable of the two sons, because Jesus was also comparing the older brother to religious people. Alternatively, it could be described as the Parable of the Prodigal Father, because the father in the story is prodigious in his lavish love of his son. 

The younger son is clearly the villain in the tale. He effectively wishes his dad was dead, so he can claim his share of the inheritance. Even today, such a thought is scandalous, never mind in that patriarchal society. 

Before we condemn the younger son like his judgmental older brother, we should search our hearts. Do we want God's blessings without a relationship with Him? Are we only interested in God for what we can get out of Him, whether health, wealth, happiness, or whatever else? 

Amazingly, instead of disowning his son, the father grants his scandalous request without harshness, letting him go his own way and waste the resources given to him. In doing so, the son loses connection with his father, and comes to acknowledge that in order to survive, he must return to the father’s arms. Similarly, although we deserve God's condemnation, there is none for those of us who are in the family of Christ Jesus, and if we want a blessed relationship with Him, we need to repent of our self-absorption and trust in the Lord for our salvation. 

'Dear Lord, we thank You for Your unfailing faithfulness towards us. May we never take that for granted, but honour You as You deserve, in Christ's name we pray, amen.'

Who do you find yourself relating to more, the dutiful older brother, or the rebellious younger brother?