“It was appropriate to rejoice and celebrate because your brother was lost and found; he was dead and now he is alive.” (Luke 15:32)
Do you recall the story of the father and his lost kid that we read on the first day of this devotional series? Let’s reread this fable with an emphasis on the perspective of the third party.
The elder brother became aware of the situation when the father threw a party and greeted his missing son. But instead of entering the celebration, he “became angry and refused to go in.” He detested the father’s unwavering affection for this son and harbored a profound hatred for his brother. He believed that a sinner like this should not be welcomed, particularly because the older son had always served his father well!
As we have already determined, God is the parent in this story. A sinner who turns from his ways and returns to his heavenly Father is the lost son. Who is this brother, then, the elder? A fellow human being who refuses to accept the Father’s grace on behalf of a repentant sinner so disqualifies himself from the celebration.
The role of the resentful brother was portrayed by the religious establishment during Jesus’ time. Do you also sense anything similar in your heart? Do you think that certain people are not deserving of God’s pardon?
