Welcome
Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’”
--Luke 15:31,32
The parable of the prodigals (both sons are equally lost) is so familiar that we lose ourselves in its familiarity. To help recapture its profound message, it helps to focus in on certain moments. Today, I choose the Father's last statement.
Why?
Because here we are.
We play both sons, constantly bouncing back and forth between them. Sometimes we are the wayward younger sibling, bound and determined to do things on our own terms, in our own way, all else be damned. We blunder and bluster about, wreaking havoc on everybody (including ourselves). We celebrate our "freedom," completely oblivious to the fact that we are losing everything we have. Then, lost, empty, and terrified, we come to our senses and want nothing more than to come home. Other times, we are the "good boy (or girl)." We obediently do what is expected. We meet all demands. We do our jobs. We are responsible. But we hate every minute of it, chafing under the weight of "duty." We despise them--the ones who get away with murder. We do everything right, but we aren't happy, and we secretly wish we could make them miserable, too. Back and forth, we bounce. Wayward, obedient, but always seeming to miss something.
Now, listen to the Father.
He alone is constant. He alone understands. He alone gets it. These are his children, forever and always. They came from his love, grace, and compassion. He makes sure to never leave them, no matter how far they might wander, even if it is only to sulk on the front lawn.
Henri Nouwen once remarked that we will never fully grasp this story until we realize that we are to be the Father.
Think on that.
It is as we realize the prodigals all around us, all the time, and that our task in faith is to be sure that all of them--the wandering rebel, the stagnant domestic--know they are welcome. We are to create the fellowship of grace as we welcome one another, keep one another, and feed one another.
No child deserves to be lost. No amount of selfishness should result in abandonment.
Welcome one another.
There is our hope.
--Luke 15:31,32
The parable of the prodigals (both sons are equally lost) is so familiar that we lose ourselves in its familiarity. To help recapture its profound message, it helps to focus in on certain moments. Today, I choose the Father's last statement.
Why?
Because here we are.
We play both sons, constantly bouncing back and forth between them. Sometimes we are the wayward younger sibling, bound and determined to do things on our own terms, in our own way, all else be damned. We blunder and bluster about, wreaking havoc on everybody (including ourselves). We celebrate our "freedom," completely oblivious to the fact that we are losing everything we have. Then, lost, empty, and terrified, we come to our senses and want nothing more than to come home. Other times, we are the "good boy (or girl)." We obediently do what is expected. We meet all demands. We do our jobs. We are responsible. But we hate every minute of it, chafing under the weight of "duty." We despise them--the ones who get away with murder. We do everything right, but we aren't happy, and we secretly wish we could make them miserable, too. Back and forth, we bounce. Wayward, obedient, but always seeming to miss something.
Now, listen to the Father.
He alone is constant. He alone understands. He alone gets it. These are his children, forever and always. They came from his love, grace, and compassion. He makes sure to never leave them, no matter how far they might wander, even if it is only to sulk on the front lawn.
Henri Nouwen once remarked that we will never fully grasp this story until we realize that we are to be the Father.
Think on that.
It is as we realize the prodigals all around us, all the time, and that our task in faith is to be sure that all of them--the wandering rebel, the stagnant domestic--know they are welcome. We are to create the fellowship of grace as we welcome one another, keep one another, and feed one another.
No child deserves to be lost. No amount of selfishness should result in abandonment.
Welcome one another.
There is our hope.
Comments
Post a Comment