A Question of Perspective

Your Son or My Brother

In Luke 15:11-32 Jesus tells the story of the “Prodigal Son, or as in my translation, the “Lost Son.” I have read this story many times but the Lord showed me something new this morning, so I thought I would write it down. At the end of the story, the older son asks his servants the reason for the celebration going on. They tell him that his father is rejoicing because his brother has returned.

When he complains to his father that he has never received this kind of a party but when, “this son of yours,” has come back, after wasting all his inheritance, his return brings a celebration. The father replies that he has always been with him, (they have been in constant relationship,) but now this brother of yours who was out of relationship is now back. He was lost but now is found.

What struck me was the older brother’s unwillingness to own the relationship. The “prodigal” was his father’s son but not his brother. The father had not cut him off but the older brother had. Like the question of the Pharisee, “who is my neighbor,” we might also ask, “who is my brother.” Have I cut someone off, disliking, ignoring or avoiding them? Am I upset if someone else is blessed because I don’t think he or she deserves it? Maybe, I think I am the one to get the blessing, not them. If so, I need to ask the question, “why am I jealous of the father’s love for someone else?” Do I think his love for me is inadequate? Do I understand how precious my relationship with him is? It is more than any series of parties. When I understand the value of my relationship with the father, I can respect the way he loves others, no matter what they have done.

“Dear Lord, help me to live in deep relationship to you, valuing that relationship above all things; and help me to learn to love as you love. Help me rejoice at the return of your lost sons and daughters, my brothers and sisters, and help me join in at the celebration. May your family continue to grow. Amen”

The Turning Point

As Job reached the end of his rope and he can see no hope for him in the light of all the negative circumstances around him he comes to a new conclusion, different than the one of chapter 17. All that he has experienced continues to be his reality; money gone, children gone, friends gone, health gone. But, in 19:25-27, he makes this remarkable statement: "I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes--I and not another. How my heart yearns within me!" Now Job expresses hope, hope in God alone.

David must have read the book of Job. In Psalm 42 he writes of his tears and sadness and he instructs his inner self to turn its focus to God alone. "Why are you downcast , O my soul? Put your hope in God." While we may not understand our circumstances, (God's ways are often beyond our understanding,) We can still have hope. The end of the story is not yet. God is good, even if our circumstances are not. In the end we will see and experience this goodness. This is the only hope that stands the test of time. Today my circumstances are mostly good. Tomorrow I cannot be sure if I will have this same blessing. The book of Job, (and Psalm 42,) help me be ready for all that life may throw at me. "Life is hard but God is good." I don't know who said it but they they were right. I know that my Redeemer lives and I will someday see him and be with him. That truth makes all the difference.

Hope

I have been going through the book of Job as part of my daily devotional readings. It is a challenging book and, like life, it is not easily explained. In chapter 17, Job speaks to his friends with these words, "Who can see any hope for me?" This is Jobs greatest challenge. He cannot see any reason to go on living. There is nothing to hope for. At this point, even death offers no hope for him. His heart is empty and all is black and dark.

Sometimes we can arrive at a similar point in our lives although perhaps not through the magnitude of Job's losses. Our income has disappeared, our relationships are in distress, and our health is poor. We cannot see anything good coming. We are without hope. Yet is this really true. If we only look back, we might arrive at this conclusion, but if there is a God and he is essentially good, how will that influence my expectations of the future. If I have nothing to hope for, can God give me something to hope for? What would that look like?

Even if my imagination cannot come up with something to hope for, the all-knowing, all-powerful God can go beyond my imagination. At root here is the fundamental belief and conviction that God is both good and able. Ultimately, that is where we have to place our hope. When we do, we can go through anything, even what Job faced and not lose all hope.

I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the story. God placed it in his holy scriptures for a reason. God does not insulate us from the ravages of this world but he does provide us with a reason to hope, and you can't live without hope.