My little friend hit another one.......
In the parable of the prodigal son, it is not just the prodigal himself who is revealed to be loved, accepted and included despite his blind and foolish actions, but the critical elder brother. When the prodigal returned, his elder brother protested the celebration that surrounded his return, and complained bitterly. The father, however, tenderly but firmly reminded him that all he had belonged to... him, and that he was always present with him and included in his life. And remember, in the beginning of Luke 15 we're shown who the elder brother is intended to represent - the pharisees and religious leaders who sought to exclude "sinners" from the Kingdom. What Jesus reveals to us is that even the "excluders" are included, despite their resistance to the inclusion of sinners.
We (and I'm included in that 'we') need to remember this when we critique individuals whose message and actions stand opposed to the Gospel of grace. They may get under our skin, they may irk us when they rake the masses over hellfire and brimstone, and they might tempt us to lose our tempers, but they're still included.
From sinner to self-made saint (which there are none), all are included. May we, in our desire to include, remember to extend that grace to even the "excluder".
In the parable of the prodigal son, it is not just the prodigal himself who is revealed to be loved, accepted and included despite his blind and foolish actions, but the critical elder brother. When the prodigal returned, his elder brother protested the celebration that surrounded his return, and complained bitterly. The father, however, tenderly but firmly reminded him that all he had belonged to... him, and that he was always present with him and included in his life. And remember, in the beginning of Luke 15 we're shown who the elder brother is intended to represent - the pharisees and religious leaders who sought to exclude "sinners" from the Kingdom. What Jesus reveals to us is that even the "excluders" are included, despite their resistance to the inclusion of sinners.
We (and I'm included in that 'we') need to remember this when we critique individuals whose message and actions stand opposed to the Gospel of grace. They may get under our skin, they may irk us when they rake the masses over hellfire and brimstone, and they might tempt us to lose our tempers, but they're still included.
From sinner to self-made saint (which there are none), all are included. May we, in our desire to include, remember to extend that grace to even the "excluder".
