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Day 76 Luke 15:11 Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So, he divided to them his livelihood. 13 Not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. 15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 He would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. 17 But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.’” 20 “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it and let us eat and be merry; 24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry. 25 “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 He said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’ 28 But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore, his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 He answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. 30 But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’ 31 He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 32 It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’” Jealousy divides friends and family members. They see how easily their friend or sibling has it and harbors malice toward them. They keep a detailed record of everything they do so that when their sibling or friend makes a change in their lives for the better, they bring all their sins together and present them to their parents or other friends. They want the letter of the law settled on their friend or sibling for everything they did while they were away. They hold no mercy in their hearts for their wayward friend or sibling. It's a story you hear all too often, especially when a parent dies, and the last will and testament is made known to the heirs. The heirs want to cut out the person they feel doesn’t deserve a part in the inheritance. Jesus showed the Pharisees and scribes that love was the underlying factor in the father’s affection for his son. It didn’t matter what the son did with what he gave him, it mattered that he came home. His love for his son never changed. Too often Christians act like the older brother. They take account of all the sins of their fellow Christians and lay those sins at their pastor’s feet. They forget they were the younger brothers before they accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord. In this parable, Jesus showed the heart of the Father toward His wayward children. No matter what you do, God will always love you. You only need to repent and turn your life back to Him and He will forgive you and treat you as though you never turned aside to do whatever you desired. You need to show the same mercy and forgiveness to each other and accept them back into fellowship with you. God forgave you. You need to forgive each other. Let’s pray: Father, forgive me for acting like the older brother. Help me lay aside my anger and forgive those I feel are beyond Your forgiveness. Remind me that You forgave me and welcomed me with open arms, and I should do the same. Let me be glad when one of Your lost sheep returns home. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 29 September 2023 by Valerie Routhieaux The image belongs to me.