Please Share Your Opinion on Luke 15:11-31, THe Parable of the Lost Son
By Hgateway
@Hgateway (204)
United States
April 24, 2007 1:04am CST
Since the first day I ever read this, the only thing in my mind is "unfair". I felt like the old son has done all he can, but seem to me that he didn't get any attention nor appreciation at all. On the other hand, the younger son done whatever worse he ever can done, but still being accept.
Does anyone welling to share your opinion on this? Perhpas a light to help me understand this?
2 people like this
4 responses
@rabanesd (284)
• United States
4 May 07
I think you had only put yourself in the older son's position. Try to put yourself in the father's position. If your son had gone from home then came back saying he would rather be a servant than your son, wouldn't you take him back in knowing that he is home and safe from the harms of the world?
See, God is the same way. He allows us to go into the world to experience how life is without him. When we are at the point where we feel like giving up, he is the only one that will lift us back onto our feet and opens his arms to accept us back again.
But we always tend to go back into the world again and do the same thing. Isn't God awesome? He always takes us back again.
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@Hgateway (204)
• United States
6 May 07
That's the point I see. Due to God's uncondition love, why manys will keep going back to the world, but later ask for mercy. Back and forth...it seem to me that those type of people never regard or learn their lesson, instead...I feel they are selfish...using God's uncondition love.
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@ramirey (3)
• Philippines
30 Apr 07
if we are going to look at it, the older brother never disobeyed his father but he has one shortcoming, he never asked for something from his father. he thought that his father will give him something in return for his enslaving himself to his father. the father is willing to give the older son what's left of his riches, but the older son never asked. in matthew 7:7, Jesus said," ask and it will be given to you." our Heavenly father is willing to give everything to us if we will ask him, just like the father in the parable.
@Hgateway (204)
• United States
6 May 07
Thanks for sharing this with us. You are right, often in time that we are so close mind and only look at our current situation, but forgoten that we can alsways ASK and pray to our father. I was in this situation in the past few months -- only focus on what I wasn't happy about or sometimes even complaint about it. Now, I know I need to turn my eyes back to focus on our heavenly father and pray.
Thansk!
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@susieq223 (3742)
• United States
29 Jun 07
You have had some wonderful responses to this discussion! I would add only a couple of things: The older son never suffered any deprivation. He never went hungry, never lost his dignity, never had to stoop to slopping hogs (the worst job a Jew could ever have) He never was without shelter or clothing or his father's love and daily interaction. Yet, he felt unappreciated! How is that for gratitude? Yes, the younger son did bring his problems on himself, but he suffered for them, also.
@mskzalameda (4023)
• Philippines
24 Apr 07
is it the parable of the prodigal son? if yes.. I know this one for it is my report on our theology class he he!
I think it is not unfair. If i am in the first son's place.. at first I will be envy too but later on, analyzing the details and the situation we are into.. I will learn to accept the good truth. Like God, Who loves dearly all His children that even though we run away from Him, He still welcomes us and still accepts us.
We need to learn how to forgive and accept.
"Those who are well do not need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." (Lk 5:31-32)
Jealousy kills.. always remember that metaphor.
1 person likes this
@Hgateway (204)
• United States
24 Apr 07
Thank you for sharing your opinion on this. I truely belived what you mean...learn how to forgive and accept.
This actually is the message we have over the weekend.
But, if you are in the older son's situation...doing all good things, perhpas never ever disobey. On the other hand, where is righteous...if someone repeatly doing wrong things and still getting by, it seems no punishment for his wrong doing. That's why I can't understand this.
In this case, how to convince others? One can do whatever thing he/she wants, even ran away from God....but, later ask for mercy? There is a very smiliar case in my family that the behavior of his really bothers me and I can't even walk away pretent didn't see this kind of thing. And, I've been praying for God's mercy for all of us for years already, but nothing change and I'm still stuck with this message.
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