Faithful Martyrdom

In Luke 15:11ff, we read the story, which is often referred to as the Parable of the Prodigal Son.  It narrates the journey of a son who leaves his father's house, wastes all his money and comes back asking to hire himself out to his father, who restores him instead to his position as son.

The story isn't, however, just about the wandering, faithless son.  It is equally about the steadfastt, faithful son, who stayed with his father, worked the land and obediently did as he was asked.  This son had the appearance of one who loved his father and served him loyally, setting aside his own aspiratons, unlike the younger, unfaithful brother.

Truthfully, the older brother was no more selfless than the younge one, no more faithful.  While the younger brother left with his inheritance, the older brother stayed for his inheritance, not his father.  The evidence is seen when the broken-hearted father rejoices over the return of the lost son.  The older brother does not celebrate his father's gain of a lost son, instead he laments the return of a loser brother.

The older brother stews over the fact that, while he labored, putting off personal desires, it was his brother, who gave in to all his passions, that was given a party, killing the fattened calf, which was costly tribute for a wasteful returnee.  He, on the other hand, who had borne the work in the heat of the day, stayed behind to build up this property had never even had a goatt served up for him.

The older brother really didn't care about the father or what the faither cared about.  He cared about getting what he deserved and was not predisposed to share anything with his brother, despite the joy he could see it brought to his fathers heart.

Aren't you glad that we never act like him, tha we never serve out of a sense of duty instead of serving in love.  Aren't you glad that we always welcome in the waywardd, regardless of how they left or what they've done in the past?  Isn't it too bad that too often we have the heart of the older brother as calloused and bruised as it was?  Aren't you glad we're not the older brother?  Or, are we?  Are you a faithful follower or a faithful martyr?  Jus' Askn.