Things I Don’t Find
Luke 15:20
And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
This is a story I’d guess we’ve all heard preached on multiple times and from many views and perspectives. We all might not have prodigal children out in the world, but we all at the very least know someone who’s out in the world and needs to get back into church. That led me to thinking of a few things that we don’t find in Scripture here.
I don’t see the father searching anyone out his son and being judgmental. Under no circumstances are we to condone sin, however we do seem to be a people that can be quick to point fingers and judge. In most cases I’d guess the person knows they are in the wrong and whether they are ashamed or full of pride or whatever the reason that’s keeping them from church the last thing they need is judgy Christians.
I don’t see any compassion from the world. If you look at the full account look at verse 16:
Luke 15:16
And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
The world doesn’t care about those living in the world. They will take them for all they can. Chew them up and spit them out so to speak. We need to be the ones to show them the love of Christ and have compassion on them to help see them get back to the Lord.
Lastly I don’t see the father broadcasting everything about what his son has done or may have done. We live in a society that seems to just wait for an opportunity to run someone down the road. For what reason? What does it accomplish to talk about the wrong someone has done? Does it take it away? Does it make them a better person? Or does it just try to get people to look away from you? What happened to praying for them? What happened to having open arms for them to return? We live in a time where it seems easier to judge, talk about, or just degrade people than it is to show them the love of Christ and pray for them.
Pray for those that you know who may not be in church today that once were. Whatever they have done they are going to have to answer to God for. That part has nothing to do with us. However, we can pray for them and pray that their eyes are opened and they find their way back!
God bless,
Bro. Josh Richardson
Comments