Who Shames You? Who Celebrates You?

In the book of Luke we read the story of the prodigal son; powerful story! Story of a son who makes a choice to live his own way apart from the fathers;  Sounds like I’m telling our story doesn’t it!? The son goes off, gets out from the father’s umbrella of protection; this never ends well. Ultimately the son is broken, and desperate. He realizes his best choice is to go back home to his father. But embarrassed and ashamed of the choices that he’s made he’s willing to grovel before his dad and ask for a servants position; not even feeling worthy enough to come back as a son.

You ever been there?

   Upon the son’s arrival home we see a powerful picture of God the Father. The Father in the story runs from the house, runs down the road, and embraces the son with hugs and kisses. The Father tells the servants to bring his son the family ring, a robe to cover him, and shoes for his feet. He tells the people of his house to prepare a celebration because the son that was once lost is now home! Everyone is celebrating; are they?

There is one who is not so joyous; the older brother. In this story the older brother is seen showing us the religious of life that we can fall into if we’re not careful. The older brother felt ripped off because the younger had lived in rebellion, a drunkard, partying, all this disgracing the families name, and now he is being received back by this gracious dad? What? No penance? No hoops to jump through? The older son had trouble with this. He pointed out his younger brother’s mistakes, flaws and sins with a finger of condemnation.

   We have all played the different characters in this story. We’ve been the prodigal; attempting to do life our way, apart from the Father and ultimately find our self returning back to the Father broken. Maybe some of us have even found our self as the disgruntled older brother with twinges of religiosity and self righteousness.

   The enemy loves to use shame, condemnation to defeat us and distract us from being sons and daughters of the most high God. Shame is a powerful tool to divert and deceive. There will always be people who highlight your sin, remind you and the world of what you did. But do you know who doesn’t? Obviously not the Father; ”there is no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus”, but those who live in the Father’s house. They have experienced the grace, love and forgiveness of the Father. The oldest son continued pointing out the sin (much like Noah’s son in Genesis 9:20-27) but when the Father said “let’s welcome the younger son home” the entire house broke into celebration. You see the Father’s household; they know what it’s like to live in the Father’s house, they know what the Father is like, they know His DNA, His heart, His tone, His ways, but they also know what it’s like to receive that forgiveness. And so when the Father says receive him and rejoice the house receives you and rejoices! You will not always encounter people from the Fathers house, there are the older sons out there; I’m sorry. So let me encourage you with this; concentrate on what the Father says about you and those who are accustomed to living in the Father’s house.