Sometimes
people’s reaction to the same news that makes us so happy can be just the
opposite. This happens in the case of the older brother of the prodigal son.
The Father wants his youngest to be reconciled with the whole community –
especially within the family. It doesn’t turn out that way.
We hear
his reaction in The Parable of the Older Son in Luke 15:25-31: 25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came
near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was
going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied,
‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and
sound.’
28 “The older brother became angry and
refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 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. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property
with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are
always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 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.’”
Did you
notice that the father “went out and pleaded with him” to join in this happy
occasion. The brother was so “Me” oriented that he could not see past his own
needs and greed. Sadly this still exists today. Instead of focusing on
ourselves so much – what would happen if we focused on those who are lost and
need to be restored to God through Jesus? I think
we’d have revival.
Today and always – be about God’s plan. He wants to "revive" us! Amen?