This Is My Story 6 – Two Sons Journey Home
The story of the prodigal son from Luke is often used to talk about how a son who left home returns to home to be reunited with his father. Many times the forgotten character is the older brother who stays home and loses his relationship with his father. How does that happen anyway that the “bad” son ends up close to his father and the “good” son ends up with a bad relationship? Maybe if we spend some time with the three of them we might just find out how to be home when we are home.
The Younger Brother Who Leaves Home
Then Jesus said, “A man had two sons. The younger son said to his father, ’Give me my share of the property.’ So the father divided the property between his two sons. Then the younger son gathered up all that was his and traveled far away to another country. There he wasted his money in foolish living. After he had spent everything, a time came when there was no food anywhere in the country, and the son was poor and hungry. So he got a job with one of the citizens there who sent the son into the fields to feed pigs. The son was so hungry that he wanted to eat the pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. When he realized what he was doing, he thought, ’All of my father’s servants have plenty of food. But I am here, almost dying with hunger. I will leave and return to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against God and have done wrong to you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son, but let me be like one of your servants.“ ’ So the son left and went to his father. Luke 15:11-20 (NCV)
I’ve heard several sermons about these two brothers. The younger brother is often painted as a freewheeling, sinful, egotistical spoiled brat. He wants his father’s wealth without the wait and the funeral. It is easy to judge him and see him as awful, except when we look in the mirror sometimes we see him staring back at us. Let’s take a look at him and see if we don’t see ourselves in his story.
He is home and is bored. There is that old saying “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” I don’t know about you but it seems that boredom usually leads to a lot of trouble in my life. Plus I’ve looked around some and see it in other people’s lives also. We get bored with the everyday job, spouse and surroundings and then we start looking to see what could spice things up a little. He is bored and goes looking for an adventure.
He is entertained and wasted. In the far country the younger brother lives high on the hog and is probably surrounded by new friends. After all, everyone loves a party especially one that someone else is paying for. His superficial friends soon disappear as quickly as his money and he finds himself not living on the hog but feeding the hogs.
He is broke and is broken. He finds a guy to hire him and he begins to slop hogs and eventually begins to look at the slop and want to take a bite. I’m not sure if he has his hand in the bucket or when exactly he woke up to the fact that boring is not all that bad. He wants to go home but he is not sure. He knows that his father loves him, but he is not sure that this can be forgiven.
He is on a journey and going home. He finally talks himself into going home and throwing himself at the mercy of his father. He is not sure what will happen when he gets there, but he rehearses that speech all the way home. He left home skipping with a pocket full of money and now he is walking home shuffling his feet kicking rocks. I doubt he sees this going his way, but he is so low that he can only go home. He realizes that his father can do what he cannot do. Give him a second chance at life and family.
The Older Brother Who Stays Home
“The older son was in the field, and as he came closer to the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. So he called to one of the servants and asked what all this meant. The servant said, ’Your brother has come back, and your father killed the fat calf, because your brother came home safely.’ The older son was angry and would not go in to the feast. So his father went out and begged him to come in. But the older son said to his father, ’I have served you like a slave for many years and have always obeyed your commands. But you never gave me even a young goat to have at a feast with my friends. But your other son, who wasted all your money on prostitutes, comes home, and you kill the fat calf for him!’ The father said to him, ’Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. We had to celebrate and be happy because your brother was dead, but now he is alive. He was lost, but now he is found.’ “ Luke 15:25-32 (NCV)
I know we skipped ahead in the story, but we’ll get back to the homecoming in a minute. We need to talk about this older brother. He stays home with his dad while his brother goes and lives the wild life. He stays with his father and works everyday on the farm. He doesn’t ask for much and really remembers to hold it against everyone.
He is home and resentful. This brother doesn’t ask for his money early. He simply waits for his father to die and then he will get his money. He stays home and is probably sulking and kicking rocks for a different reason. He is home and grows a little more resentful towards his father and especially towards his brother. It is easy to do when you keep reminding yourself of the good choices you’re making. We can get worn out doing good, it is just our way at times. We do what we are supposed to do and it bothers us that other people do differently.
He is rich but poor. The older brother is rich. The father tells him all that I have is yours. He didn’t realize he could’ve had a party any time he wanted. Instead he thought only of how poor he was because his brother had so much and was just wasting it on a good time. If he would have just stopped and talked with his dad instead of only serving him things could’ve been different for him. He did not know all that he had right there with him. Instead he lived as a worker when he was the son of the owner.
He is not going anywhere. This brother is not making any changes. He won’t even go in the house to welcome his brother home. He simply is stuck in a bad place of his own making. Even when the father moves towards him he resists. This is where he is and this is where he will stay until he makes a choice to move.
The Father Who Couldn’t Wait For His Sons to Come Home
“While the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt sorry for his son. So the father ran to him and hugged and kissed him. The son said, ’Father, I have sinned against God and have done wrong to you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ’Hurry! Bring the best clothes and put them on him. Also, put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get our fat calf and kill it so we can have a feast and celebrate. My son was dead, but now he is alive again! He was lost, but now he is found!’ So they began to celebrate. Luke 15:20-24 (NCV)
He is home and generous. When the younger brother asks the father gives him his part of the inheritance. He tells the older brother that he could’ve had anything he wanted if he just asked. He is not a stingy father but one that wants to bless his children. He is waiting to be asked to be a part of their lives and to grow old with them.
He is watching that road and praying. The father is watching that hill his son went over that one fateful day. I would guess he has been on that porch every morning just praying his son will come home. He is waiting and watching for that familiar silhouette coming over that hill and can’t wait to see him.
He is running down the road and crying. When the father sees him on the road he runs to him. When he gets there he doesn’t listen he just tells him welcome home. He didn’t care what had happened or where he had been all this time. He was just glad he was home. Then the party starts and he welcomes both sons home. Only one will not move and the other is just glad he did move back home.
It is easy to find God in this story. He is the father who is generous and watching for us. He is waiting for us to come home. But where are you on your journey? Are you home and regretting it? Feeling like the world owes you for how good you have been all these years? Or are you at the bottom and wondering if you can go home again? Whichever one you are, God is waiting and when you move toward him he will come running to you.