The heart of the son Part 3
"Father give me my share of the estate". These are the words that introduce us to the young son in Luke 15:11-12. He sounds like: a demanding person who thinks that he has a right to things; the world owes him something; and he wants it now.
I think all of us have had that mindset from time mto time. Many times I have heard people telling God that they have rights. They have the right to drive a fancy car, they have the right to blow hundreds of dollars at the local bar, they have the right to have an adulterous affair... and on and on it goes.
I recently talked with a young man who shared that when he turned nineteen, it was his chance to go out and really live. He was now old enough to legally drink and he went out and got plastered. He bought drinks for everyone and ran up a tremendous bill. He thought that was what he had been denied and now he was entitled to party. He wanted that freedom now. Freedom came with a cost.
When I was a teenager and then as a young adult I often thought that I knew more than my parents or others in authority over me. I did things others said were not in my best interest, but afterall I knew best. The truth is that I have discovered the following: "The older I get the more I know I don't know."
I am not sure if this properly describes the young son but I think I might be close. I think he may have become the kind of person others did not really want to be around. The kind of person that is focused on me and what I want. Those are sometimes the toughest people to love.
Can you identify with this person? Are you this person? How do you and I love the "prodigals" in our lives? How do our churches create and environment where the prodigals are loved and accepted?
I think the answer to those last two questions is provided when we consider the heart of the father. I will talk about that tomorrow.
I think all of us have had that mindset from time mto time. Many times I have heard people telling God that they have rights. They have the right to drive a fancy car, they have the right to blow hundreds of dollars at the local bar, they have the right to have an adulterous affair... and on and on it goes.
I recently talked with a young man who shared that when he turned nineteen, it was his chance to go out and really live. He was now old enough to legally drink and he went out and got plastered. He bought drinks for everyone and ran up a tremendous bill. He thought that was what he had been denied and now he was entitled to party. He wanted that freedom now. Freedom came with a cost.
When I was a teenager and then as a young adult I often thought that I knew more than my parents or others in authority over me. I did things others said were not in my best interest, but afterall I knew best. The truth is that I have discovered the following: "The older I get the more I know I don't know."
I am not sure if this properly describes the young son but I think I might be close. I think he may have become the kind of person others did not really want to be around. The kind of person that is focused on me and what I want. Those are sometimes the toughest people to love.
Can you identify with this person? Are you this person? How do you and I love the "prodigals" in our lives? How do our churches create and environment where the prodigals are loved and accepted?
I think the answer to those last two questions is provided when we consider the heart of the father. I will talk about that tomorrow.
posted by s.d.w. at 7:43 AM
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