Today’s author is Prince of Peace member, Gary Olson.
I am married to a woman who is thankful for just about everything. “I’m thankful it didn’t rain more than it did last night.” “That we got home safely.” “Prices are up but I’m glad we can still eat.” In almost every situation, she finds something for which to be thankful. It grows out of her relationship with God. Thankfulness is one of her endearing qualities.
But sometimes she is thankful a bit too soon for my taste. About six weeks ago, driving south on State Highway 52, what looked like a large exhaust pipe fell off a vehicle ahead of us. It struck the front bumper of our car, cracking it and dislodging trim which flapped in the wind. I stopped, assessed the damage, then drove to buy a roll of duct tape. I taped the damaged parts together, turned and started driving home. During all of this she said, “I’m thankful it wasn’t worse.” “I’m thankful we were close to Cannon Falls.” “I’m thankful we weren’t hurt.” I was thankful for those things too, but I wasn’t ready to be completely thankful. So, I thought, without saying it to her, “You know, sometimes a guy just needs to be mad for a while!”
Like the older brother in Jesus’ story. He needed to be mad for a while. He had plenty to be angry about. He had been dependable, hard-working. His younger brother had skipped town (actually the farm) with one-third of the property (the inheritance for those who were not the eldest in the family in Israel). He sold it and wasted the money on wild, loose living. We call him prodigal. Prodigal means wasteful. Then, starving and lonely, he came crawling home hoping to be treated like a hired hand not a son. But his father, so much in love with him, threw his arms around him and gave him a welcome home party! There had never been a party thrown for the older brother. Yes, I can understand why the older brother would be angry. The trouble is he seemed to want to hang on to his anger. That is his sin. Anger would keep him from a reunion, from bringing health and wholeness to the family.
Both sons had disrespected their father, had shown little thankfulness for him—The younger (the lost) when asking for his inheritance early and the older (the Pharisee) when refusing to welcome his brother.
But it is not the sons who are the main characters. The father is. His generosity stands out. He welcomed the younger lavishly and he said to the older, “Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because….” your brother was lost and has been found. Please come in.
Jesus tells this story for our sakes too. This is the kind of God, the kind of divine parent we have: generous in forgiving, generous in loving, generous in healing community.
The unwritten question is: Will you and I come in? Will we welcome home the lonely, the homeless, the lost? Are we willing to be welcomed?
Prayer: You have made us your own in Christ, even when we were prodigal. Help us welcome others with your invitation to restoration and new life in you. Amen.