" But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends."(Luke 15:29)
The Parable of the Prodigal Son, or as Henry Nouwen called it the Parable of the Merciful Father, speaks to many of us. I have often when preaching on it asked people where they are in terms of birth order in their families. Are you the oldest? Perhaps the youngest. What if you're the middle child or an only child? How does this story resonate?
For me as the oldest child, I know I could easily identify with the older son. I know that kind of loyalty, not breaking the rules type of personality. I understand the hidden bitterness when others seem to get away with stuff, that I wouldn't have thought to do or have had the courage to do.
What I need to remind myself is that the overwhelming love and generosity of God towards others doesn't diminish God's love and generosity towards me.
Isn't that true in so much of life? Why do we always look to what we might lose if someone else gains? Instead of giving thanks for the wonderful gifts that we've been given, not out of reward for perfect behavior, but just because.
Blessings,
Ed
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