An Older Brother
So, I'm a mom, and moms are people, and moms have children, and children are people too, and people are human, and humans are NOT perfect. Therefore, moms and children are not perfect. Christian moms and children are no exception. This is a reality existing in all homes everywhere, mine included.
Being an imperfect mom of imperfect children provides many opportunities to offer many prayers for direction to the only one who IS perfect, God. Recently there has been some unhealthy behavior slipping out regularly in our home. To say this behavior is unenjoyable would be an understatement of gross proportions. Not only is this behavior unpleasant, it seems to contaminate the home's atmosphere by attacking everything that is beautiful and good. It is almost as if whatever root emotion is causing this behavior can't abide forgiveness, gentleness, mercy, or grace. Overlooking an offense appears not to be an acceptable course of action.
Every time this behavior rears its ugly head in our home, I am reminded of the older brother in Luke 15. Resentment. Unresolved anger. The surge of intense disgust that courses through a person's being when someone who has NOT obeyed is forgiven and restored to full fellowship while the one who remained true stares on in disbelief. The wonder that one who showed no regard for their loved ones or their ways should be freely accepted back into the circle of those they left and wounded is beyond belief. Of what value is being true and faithful if a person can sin and return as if they'd never done anything wrong? Such thoughts can blind the eyes of the wondering to the reality of their own faults and sins. The struggle of the older brother is one I know all too well. It's questions have bound me tight while disbelief blinded me to my own sins and flaws just as it did the older brother in Luke.
More than once I have leaned on my own understanding and been held prisoner in a shallow grave of fear. Both the brothers in the age-old story did this as well. It is not only the struggle of the older brother I have experienced. Walking the roads of my own choosing instead of the paths God prepared for me has given me an abundance of opportunities to experience the Heavenly Father's forgiveness and grace as the prodigal did. While I have run with abandon into the Father's welcoming arms like the prodigal son, I have also huffed in disgust when others who trod their own roads of sin did the same. I have been both the older brother and the prodigal. Both brothers strayed in their hearts from the love of God. As far as we know, only one of them returned.
While walking through life on earth there are questions only God can answer. There are questions to which only God IS the answer, and God is love. Therefore, love is the answer to every question and wondering we have. God. Love. God is love. And love has given us His Word to teach us of His way.
At some point in our life each of us gets to decide whether we will trust in the faithfulness of God's care for us or continue wondering and fretting over every situation that appears unfair and wrong. How, when, and where we decide is completely and totally up to us. Will we accept the forgiveness of the Father with gratitude as the prodigal son did or will we turn away to huff and puff with disgust like the older brother? I pray our hearts return to the shelter of our Heavenly Father's love.
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Galatians 6 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
6 Brethren, if any person is overtaken in misconduct or sin of any sort, you who are spiritual [who are responsive to and controlled by the Spirit] should set him right and restore and reinstate him, without any sense of superiority and with all gentleness, keeping an attentive eye on yourself, lest you should be tempted also.
2 Bear (endure, carry) one another’s burdens and [a]troublesome moral faults, and in this way fulfill and observe perfectly the law of Christ (the Messiah) and complete [b]what is lacking [in your obedience to it].
3 For if any person thinks himself to be somebody [too important to condescend to shoulder another’s load] when he is nobody [of superiority except in his own estimation], he deceives and deludes and cheats himself.
4 But let every person carefully scrutinize and examine and test his own conduct and his own work. He can then have the personal satisfaction and joy of doing something commendable [[c]in itself alone] without [resorting to] boastful comparison with his neighbor.
5 For every person will have to bear ([d]be equal to understanding and calmly receive) his own [[e]little] load [f][of oppressive faults].
6 Let him who receives instruction in the Word [of God] share all good things with his teacher [contributing to his support].
7 Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked [g]by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside.) [He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God.] For whatever a man sows, that and [h]that only is what he will reap.
8 For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
9 And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.
10 So then, as occasion and opportunity open up to us, let us do good [[i]morally] to all people [not only [j]being useful or profitable to them, but also doing what is for their spiritual good and advantage]. Be mindful to be a blessing, especially to those of the household of faith [those who belong to God’s family with you, the believers].