Tainted Report

I've always related to the Parable of the Prodigal Son. To summarize the story, a father has two sons, and he divided his property equally among both of them. While one is faithful to his father, the younger son wasted his money on an extravagant life, and ended up in shambles. He came and threw himself at the feet of his father, begging for forgiveness. His father is filled with joy, and offers up his best calf for a feast in his honor.

When I first heard this story, I saw obvious parallels to my own life. My brother could be seen as the younger son, who disobeys my parents' rules and cares about worldly things. Although my brother has yet to throw himself at my parent's feet, these parallels are the first thing that come to mind.

So, obviously I feel immediate compassion for the older son, who is faithful to his father. One part I left out of the parable is when the older brother finds out who the feast is for, he is enraged and asks why he never gets praise. And for the longest time, I wondered the same thing. The older son went unappreciated! He did everything his father asked of him, and yet his brother got the feast!

It wasn't until recently that I read the rest of this parable. When the older son asks why he didn't get a feast, his father responded with: "'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 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'"

This verse made me feel bad for thinking poorly of the father. He shows appreciation for the older son by always providing for him. "Everything I have is yours," he says. But the father also says "Rejoice, for your brother has returned!" The father rejoiced because the son had returned, and showed obvious remorse for his actions. He didn't dwell on his mistakes, but rejoiced at his return!

I think there is a great lesson in that. I can first look to my own situation. If my brother came to my parents and admitted all of his wrong doings, and asked for forgiveness, my parents would not respond with contempt. They would say "My son is alive again! He was lost, but now he is found!" Would they not rejoice more in his return than they would in my consistent adherence to the rules?

And of course, this parable needs to be examined in a Christian context. When someone goes apostate and leaves the faith, their return is a cause for celebration. There is much more rejoicing than there would be if a devout Christian continued to be a Christian. Of course, that is also a great thing.

I no longer empathize with the older son. My perspective on the story has changed. However, this parable is still one of my favorite in the Bible, but now it is for a different reason.

P.S. - If you want to read this parable, here's a link.