Lenton Bible Reading: Week 1, Wednesday

During the season of Lent, I am attempting to follow a Bible reading plan and offer reflection on the Scripture text.  Today's reading is from Tuesday in the first full week of Lent.  (And while this is the first posting of the series, the actual start of Lent was last Wednesday.  I am going to try to work my way back to the start of the reading plan as well as move forward towards Resurrection Sunday.)  I welcome feedback.  What are these Scriptures saying to you?

 

Luke 15:11-32

Common English Bible (CEB)

 ¹¹ Jesus said, “A certain man had two sons. ¹² The younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the inheritance.’ Then the father divided his estate between them. ¹³ Soon afterward, the younger son gathered everything together and took a trip to a land far away. There, he wasted his wealth through extravagant living.
 ¹⁴ “When he had used up his resources, a severe food shortage arose in that country and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ He hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ He longed to eat his fill from what the pigs ate, but no one gave him anything. ¹⁷ When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have more than enough food, but I’m starving to death! ¹⁸ I will get up and go to my father, and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹ I no longer deserve to be called your son. Take me on as one of your hired hands.” ’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father.

   “While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion. His father ran to him, hugged him, and kissed him. ²¹ Then his son said, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ ²² But the father said to his servants, ‘Quickly, bring out the best robe and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! ²³ Fetch the fattened calf and slaughter it. We must celebrate with feasting ²⁴ because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life! He was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.
 ²⁵ “Now his older son was in the field. Coming in from the field, he approached the house and heard music and dancing. ²⁶ He called one of the servants and asked what was going on. ²⁷ The servant replied, ‘Your brother has arrived, and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he received his son back safe and sound.’ ²⁸ Then the older son was furious and didn’t want to enter in, but his father came out and begged him. ²⁹ He answered his father, ‘Look, I’ve served you all these years, and I never disobeyed your instruction. Yet you’ve never given me as much as a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours returned, after gobbling up your estate on prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’ ³¹ Then his father said, ‘Son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and be glad because this brother of yours was dead and is alive. He was lost and is found.’”

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OK, yesterday's story was not one of my favorites.  But today's story is definitely in my top 5 all-time best stories of Jesus!

I can remember listening to a preacher speak on this text when I was an older elementary-age student, probably like 10 or 11 years old.  I really identified with the younger son's desire to get away.  I grew up with great parents, but part of what made them great was how much they cared to set appropriate boundaries for me.  At that time, there was something about those boundaries that chafed me. (What, exactly, it was I can no longer remember).  In the first part of the story, as the son says, "Dad, I'm outta here!", I wanted to be able to say the same thing!  The preacher really talked up that part of the story - how the son had big ideas, thought life was something he could handle on his own, and the fun of independent living.  No more rules, restrictions, or responsibilities.  As a 10 year old, I firmly agreed.

But then the preacher moved on, and suddenly the son's experience didn't sound so good.  Pig slop?!  He's eating (or at least WANTS to eat) pig slop?  My own stomach began to churn unpleasantly.  Now the preacher described the fallout from bad choices.  Responsibility is not something to avoid but something to cherish.  Living in a family means allowing the needs of the family to restrict one's desires.  The benefits far outweigh the costs.  Started making me rethink how I viewed taking out the trash and washing dishes, doing homework, etc.

The preacher went on to talk about how the son had blown it so bad, he didn't think he could recover.  But even so, he saw that life at home - no matter how it looked - had to be better than what he had happening away from home.  And so he came back to Dad, but expected the lowliest possible position. I began to be glad that I hadn't actually tried to run away.  My life was going to be better than the younger son's life, because my dad wouldn't have to make me a servant.

When the dad saw the younger son and welcomed him, honored him, and threw a party for him, I was surprised.  Kind of like the older brother.  I could relate to his outrage.  That's not fair!  Look at what this kid did!  And now you're celebrating him rather than berating him? (actually not sure I knew "berating" as a 10-year-old, but work with me...)

I transferred my sympathies from the younger brother to the older brother.  And, I reasoned, I AM the older brother in my family, and I think I'd be just as upset if my little brother did this kind of stuff and Dad welcomed him back like that...

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Flash forward to today, and in many cases my own personal/family story parallels Jesus' story about these two brothers and their father more closely than I might like.  I ended up in pastoral ministry, my brother at one point was halfway around the world in the Navy.  I've stayed pretty close to the upbringing in Christ I received from my parents, while my brother has traveled a more circuitous faith journey and made some decisions with major life-altering consequences.  Not sure whether or not he was ever reduced to "pig slop", but I can imagine at times he came pretty close.  But Dad still loves us both.

Holy God, thank you for loving me and my brother so much that you welcome both of us into your loving arms. Thank you for giving me an earthly father who has tried to reflect his Heavenly Father in how he has treated me.  May the legacy of being a father to my own children be blessed by you and transferred to yet another generation as my kids grow up and become independent adults themselves.  I pray this in Jesus' name.  Amen.


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