The Other Prodigal Son

There are times which a story has a “main character” and any “supporting characters” are not given as much attention in lessons. To notice the supporting character in a frequently overlooked Bible text is one of the most thrilling parts of being a student of the Bible.

In the story of the Lost Son (aka Prodigal Son), the younger son, who squanders his property is often the one who is looked at as the “main character” and the lessons hinge on his part of the story. The older son, also has traits of being a prodigal, so referring to him as “the other prodigal” is not out of line. There are some valuable lessons found in the “older son” and today, here are some applications to choose from to use this week…

• Enjoy Your Reward, as Well as Theirs ~ It can be easy to think we should be the ones that are rewarded. Recently, we went to a public gathering in which prizes were drawn. For the second year in a row, our children didn’t win anything. Because the “luck of the draw” was not on our side, it could be easy to be bitter at the others who won. However, even if we did not “win” we can enjoy the victory that was experienced by others.
• Look in the Mirror ~ It is easy to look at someone who you label with a judgment. There are many labels that someone could be given. Basically the label is meant to demean the person, no matter the label. May we look in the mirror to see ourselves as a faulty mortal, just as the one who we are forming the opinion about (aka judging).
• Wrong View of the Father ~ To fully understand God (aka Father, Heavenly Father) is an undiscoverable mystery. Because He is totally undiscoverable, we often put our suppositions in for what God must be doing in a situation. This supposition is usually based on how we’d operate in a given situation. To skim the surface on understanding how God is dealing with any given catastrophe is still beyond our capability. Most of which is because we are not Him, some is because we are not in that situation. To form a judgment on how God deals with a situation would be taking a wrong view of God. May we try to “mind our own business” when we see how God deals with peoples’ situations.

We are all prodigals, no matter which side of the line we stand. May we not overlook the last son because of the shadow created by the first son.

The Father’s Grace

Parenthood, it can start at about any age from the teenage years and beyond. I had the unexpected surprise to be connected with a dad that came into that position at fifteen. This was way beyond when I was blessed to become a father. For me I was thirty-three before parenthood began.

The unique thing about each of us is that we had our own “turning point” of what I call the “curse of parenthood.” That “curse” is, in part, realizing how much a parent loves a child, in which, you didn’t realize how much my parents loved me because I didn’t appreciate it like I do now that I have a child.

Sunday, we looked at Luke 15:20b-24 as the first son comes home to be met and embraced by the father. This text displays the father showing grace to the first son. Similarly, this is a small parallel to God’s grace displayed to us. Here are some applications to choose from to use this week…

• Go to the Father ~ The son had greatly messed up. He took the blessings that the father had given him (inheritance) and blown it. I know that I am not pleased with our three-year old when he takes a new toy and seemingly ruins it. “Don’t you understand the value of taking care of it” I think. Of course he doesn’t, he’s only three. We are “three” at times and we all blow what is given to us. With our three-year old, I don’t love him any less in those times. When we do that with what God gives us, He’s still loves us and wants us to come to Him…let’s do that!
• Always in the View of the Father ~ The father in the parable saw the son a long way off. We are never out of view of the father. This is a humbling thought. However, it seems each of the times that God is referred to as a father it describes him as going over and beyond what we would expect. God is always looking for us to come to Him – whether we are in a state of “messing up” or just our daily fellowship with Him. He longs for our relationship to deepen. It is neat to think He’s always looking for us to “come home.”
• Dressed for Success ~ The first son came home with little hope. The father dispenses so much hope that he “dresses” the son for success. He gives him the best robe, a ring, and shoes. Receiving the robe was an honor. Why would/should a “squanderer” be honored? That was probably the question going through the first son’s mind. Regardless of the questions going through his mind, he was now given a position of success – all because of the father’s grace.

Grace is so mysterious. There are extremes of both – too conservative or liberal with its dispersion. Though I may not ever fully understand it, I can learn to fully appreciate it. May you enjoy the Father’s grace!

Not Worthy of God

Do we desire to grow up sooner than we should for the sake of feeling more worth out of life? Is that why young kids like to hang out with older kids and teens like to hang out with young adults? Are we rushing our life all for a tiny feeling of more worth?

In most situations, worth starts to diminish as something ages. Usually that comes to a monetary value. This can pour over into humans when it comes to the worth of an athlete. As they age they become less productive and are simply worth less. On the contrary, when a person stays in a position long enough their worth increases and they are paid more and able to keep their job.

To be let go of a position takes away some of your feeling of worth. Even when we disappoint someone we feel like we’ve lost some of our worth. There are times our view of God is paralleled to that – we disappoint Him and our feeling of worth takes a nosedive.

The story of the Prodigal Son takes us in to the mind of the first son. In this section he does not feel worthy to be called the son. He is in a desperate situation and he gets ready to go home. Here are some applications to choose from to use this week…

• Come to Your Senses ~ With every situation where we are swallowed up and it is taking us deeper into a state of recklessness, we must wake up. We must realize that we are in that state and acknowledge we need to do better. Whether that state is in our job, marriage, relationship, or our service to God, let’s wake up and turn ourselves around.
• Grasp the Love ~ Being a parent is like a curse in love. You don’t realize how much your parents loved you until you are a parent. All that icky affection your parents tried to keep going after you were seemingly too old was because they care about you so much. I know I will feel that feeling about my children even when they are “too old” for affection. Try to understand how much God loves you and that He is always waiting with open arms, not crossed arms, even when you’ve messed up greatly!
• Decide and Go ~ Do not sit in a corner and think that you are not worthy of God. Technically, we aren’t; thanks to Jesus, we are. No matter what has gone on in your life, you are worth the death of Jesus to God. He gave His only Son – His only child – for you and your wrongdoings. Whether you are holding a positive pregnancy test, a drug needle, a phone book open to a divorce lawyer, a bank statement with an overdraft, or an eviction notice, you are definitely worthy to God! You must get up and go to Him to get that life of yours straightened out.

May we all see ourselves in the life of this son and then see that we are worthy to be called a child of God’s!

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A Man Who Had Two Sons

How many people are in your family/household? In my household we have the “ideal” family of four. One gender of each child. We are blessed, not because of our family’s make-up, just because we are a family.

Family consists of a group of individuals with a common tie. Maybe it is ancestry or common beliefs. We all come into a biological family but are you a part of a family group outside your biological family?

Another question is “Are you committed to that family?” Each family needs to be have commitment behind it. Without commitment the relationship is fragile.

As we looked at the eleventh verse of Luke 15 that read “a man who had two sons.” The verse simply mentioned the concept that the man had a family which consisted of two sons. Family is where we are focusing with our applications to choose from to use this week…

• Appreciate ~ Your family is unique, whether biological or spiritual. Either way, you are blood related. Being related by blood should keep you appreciating each other, even when you may not like each other too well, for whatever reason. Family is forever
• Celebrate ~ If you were to win a big lottery amount, you’d likely want to go out and celebrate. In essence, as family is priceless, you’ve won the lottery. May we take time to celebrate the family that we’ve been blessed with.
• Love ~ This is the “I’ll do about anything for you” kind of love. This goes past just about anything that is said by people. This is the “action” side of things – what will you do to prove it. With your family, love them. Do everything possible to show you care and that they matter.

Family is important. Family is priceless. Family is forever. Through it all, we’re still family.

 

Squandered Away

“You must give 30 million dollars away in 30 days” is the big challenge in the 80s show “Brewster’s Millions”. There are stipulations as to how he can spend the money. The prize for the challenge is 300 million dollars. The other parts of the challenge is that no one can know about the prize at the end and it cannot be simply handed out to people. The movie displays the challenge of getting rid of such significant cash under the stipulations laid out.

For the young man in the parable from Luke 15, finding a way to squander all the money he was given, was no challenge. He had no stipulations. He had no sense of money management. He was in it for himself. Much like we tend to be at times – even the most selfless fall into this man’s shoes from time to time.

Sunday, we looked at a modern-day take on the Prodigal Son and how we can often squander away what has been given to us (from a spiritual sense). Here are some applications to choose from to use this week…

• Rebelled ~ Rebellion can take place in various forms. Most of us go to extremes when we think of the word. However, from the spiritual sense, the smallest of rebellion can cause us to get into trouble. Sometimes it helps us understand where other people are coming from if we can take a look at what we have done to forgive others, understand others, or empathize with others.
• Received ~ The feeling of a hug can be very comforting. Not a greeting hug, but the kind that is from someone who is close to you. Be it a spouse, a child, a parent, or a close friend or family member. These are the kind that are comforting. These are the kind that let us know they care. As we rebel and come back, we need to feel that spiritual embrace from God to let us know that He’s there and He cares. Maybe there is someone who needs a hug or embrace from you this week (possibly not even knowing it).
• Resuscitated ~ Having your heart stop kills you. Having sin in your life kills you. After rebelling, the being received, it has a way of resuscitating your life! This gives you new life which is vital to continuing on. Without life in your life there is no purpose. People all around you are spiritually dead or just seeking that life. Their life is running out of breaths to breathe. They need you to help them…don’t pass them by…resuscitate them!

Don’t squander away your spiritual inheritance on mismanaging life, nor keeping it from others.

Prodigal God - Luke 15:1-10

Most people would like to have an abundance of money. Maybe not all at once, but just the peace of mind to know it will always be there, as much as one needs. Another way of thinking, which is similar, is food. A lifetime supply of food sure would take the worry off.

Have you ever thought to yourself that, for the Christian, there is an endless action of sin cleansing? (cf I John 1:7) That should cause you to definitely "take the worry off" when you look at it that way.

Yesterday, we looked at the final "Words of Wisdom From the Workshop" lesson, which was by Rick Atchley, titled "Prodigal God". Here are some applications to choose from to use this week...

1. As God has given us so much to be thankful for, say a prayer of praise this week. Say something different each day.
2. Make a list of your blessings in your life, both material and immaterial.
3. Seek out someone to share Jesus with, who would benefit from the blessings that come as a result of being in the Kingdom.
4. As God stops at nothing to seek out a wanderer, take some moments to revel in this statement "He won't let you be a lost sheep or lost coin without coming to search for you" ...of what part of that statement do you appreciate the most?

God loves us so much that he'd give up companionship for people who would be better off with a Savior. What an AWESOME GOD, right?

Appreciate all that he has done for you!

Appreciating the abundance from Adonai...