I was reading the Prodigal Son’s story and there was something the eldest brother said that I resonated with.
At the end, the eldest son is upset at the celebration that the disobedient son is getting. And he makes a comment to his father… I stayed here. I was obedient. I didn’t refuse your commands.
Luke 15:29 esv– but he answered his father,
‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends…
And something about that kind of made me pause…
Why aren’t the obedient celebrated?
We who are saved choose obedience each day. To pick up our cross daily, to fight against our flesh, to put on that suit of armor, to live a life to glorify God.
Why isn’t that celebrated.
Obedience is a hardship. Especially because that obedience is to someone other than yourself. Being obedient isn’t easy– because if it was, the Prodigal Son wouldn’t have left. He left because he wanted something other than what his father was giving him. He wanted to live life in accordance or rather, obedience to himself.
And obedience isn’t always fair and isn’t selective. You don’t get to abide by the commandments you like or follow the instructions that feel achievable or serve you best. Obedience is a choice to listen, abide, to agree in following the instructions of someone that is a figurehead or authority.
Someone who’s rules or expectations impact you and your preference or comfort.
So, to do every command, to work tirelessly, to till and be apart of raising that fatted calf – to have chosen obedience – then watch as a celebration for the disobedient happens, is frustrating.
Because obedience feels like there should be an immediate reward. Because it seems that not everyone is required to have the same responsibility or requirement of obedience. It sometimes seems like those who give the bare minimum are the ones with abundance.
As if a constant pat on the head is given to those who rebel so completely and yet the ones who are struggling in obedience get more ‘punishment’.
I fall into this trap consistently and almost carelessly because I will look to those who honestly, from my perspective – which is the key factor in my wrongful conclusion – aren’t within any means of obedience. In fact, there is outright defiance – but they don’t seem to struggle, they don’t seem to lack. It’s almost like they flourish with God in their sin outrightly.
I’ll hit that self imposed check list, because becoming legalistic can cloud the concept of obedience to God. I’ve read my bible, I’ve prayed, I was loving to my neighbour – where is my gold star Lord?
But my threshold of obedience isn’t the determining or deciding factor.
There’s a verse in 1 Samuel 15:22 esv;
And Samuel said,
“Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
as in obeying the voice of the LORD?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
and to listen than the fat of rams.
To obey is better than sacrifice…
The sin uncommitted, because the willfulness of sin was overcome by the desire to obey. Therefore, the sacrifice would not be necessary.
Obedience is something that is chosen out of love, out of respect, out of reverence – not out of expectation of reward.
In Luke 17, Jesus gives the parable of a servant and makes this point about obedience.
Luke 10:10 esv
So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded say, ‘We are unworthy servants;
We have only done what was our duty.’
Obedience is our duty to the Lord. Because the salvation we receive is solely because of His grace, His sacrifice, the shedding of His blood. It is given not earned.
Blessings are gifts…not payment.
Not that there isn’t reward – but our reward is in heaven. And the Lord tells us not to amass our treasures here on earth but in heaven.
Perhaps, the eldest forgot that he helped build his inheritance through his obedience.
The Prodigal Son is meant to be a parable of the celebration, the delight in the return of the disobedient son, who returned to obedience. And we who come to Christ, were once the Prodigal Son, having received the celebration of the fatted calf; who now have the chance to celebrate in the return of other sons and daughters coming home. We all get to be the older, responsible brother and instead of being angry that our obedience isn’t being celebrated – instead celebrate that someone else answered the call into obedience.
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