Day 15 of 24

 Today's passage: Luke 15

Today's focus: vs 11-32

Author: Natalie Lam

From Entitlement to a Heart of Gratitude

The story of the Prodigal initially drew me in as a parent as it offers hope on the return of a wayward child, and it inspires us as parents to love like the father who received the repented son with open arms.  Such undeserved mercy and grace, just like what we receive from our Heavenly Father, who delights to find one lost sheep, lost coin, or a prodigal son.  

As I read the chapter over again this time, the first 2 sentences really caught my eyes - the Word of God is truly alive and active, and the Lord teaches me something new each time. The whole context of why Jesus shared these parables with the Pharisees in the first place was because they despised Jesus hanging out with the sinful people and they looked down on those who are seen as lost or unclean. Similarly, this is how the older son felt in the last story.  He was bitter when he found out his brother (who had truly hurt his father by what he did) had returned and the father has forgiven him unconditionally. Instead of rejoicing that his brother was lost but was now found, the older son grumbled and thought the brother did not deserve such grace.  What’s inside his heart was self-righteousness that he had done all the right things by working hard to earn his father’s approval, but his brother, who did nothing in his eyes, received the same honor and love undeservingly.  He forgot his own sins amid jealousy and angry comparison.  Outwardly he seemed obedient, but inwardly his heart was far from his father’s heart, just like the Pharisees who cared about outward compliance to the laws and rituals only and rejected Jesus.

Too often, we may not think we are judgmental like the Pharisees or reckless like the young prodigal son.  But we may act like the older son without realizing it - this parable is a sobering reminder that we should always check our heart - “What’s our motives in all that we do in the name of “good works”? and examine if our hearts really are aligned to the Father’s will (to love Him and His people including lost sinners).  The Father gently reminded the older son that the biggest blessings that He had given him was that He was with him all these times.  But instead of enjoying his Father’s fellowship, the older son’s attitude reminds me of Jonah, who didn’t think the Ninevites deserved to be saved and what God decided was not fair. Self-righteousness is toxic and sinful - why do we think we are better than non-believing sinners or that we deserve more blessings and approvals than other brothers and sisters because of our work on earth that we sometimes deem as “slaving” like the older son anyways?  Eternal life is a gift of God and none of us should be entitled to it.  I am reminded that we should humble ourselves as the way of the Lord is always higher than ours and His thoughts than ours.   

Christmas is truly a time to celebrate because Jesus Christ came to bring salvation for sinners, and thankfully this grace is indeed for many, including unworthy sinners like me.  Rejoice wholeheartedly when a lost soul comes to repentance and becomes alive to join the feast of grace hosted by our Heavenly Father!