The Two Sons

A man had two sons. One was anxious to receive his inheritance, so he asked for it. The man gave each son his half of the estate in response.

The son who was anxious went out and wasted his inheritance. The other son stayed home and ran the farm. One day, the anxious son realized that his father had not thrown him out, but that he had left on his own, and could return to the farm at least as a servant. He went back home.

The father was looking for him and saw him coming from a distance. He instructed the servants to welcome him. He threw a welcome-home party.

The well-behaved son was angry that the wasteful son was being honored. He became jealous. He refused to come to the party. When the father pursued him, he complained that the father had never given him even a goat to have a party with his friends, and yet, when the wasteful one wandered back home, he had killed the best animal on the farm!

How much of “he divided his property between them” (Luke 15:12) do we miss regarding the provision we should recognize from our Father?

How much of “all that is Mine is yours” (Luke 15:31) do we not understand to mean that we should have the confidence of well-loved sons and daughters in the household of the King of Glory?

When we have a need, even when we have a desire, we should ask of our Father and expect to be loved and to be blessed.