Sabbath Devotional :: Compassion and Abundance

*Return of the Prodigal Son* by Eugene Burnand

While teaching his disciples and followers, Jesus was asked by one in the company, “Master, speak to my brother; that he divide the inheritance with me.” And Jesus responded, “Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?” (Luke 12:13-14)

What a beautiful and probably somewhat unexpected response from the Savior! Christ makes it clear that, unlike the wise teachers and leaders of that day, he has no interest whatsoever in worldly versions of adjudication or mediation. In fact, as he often does throughout the scriptures, he rejects outright the notion that we must compete for limited blessings or resources. And by contrast, he implicitly reiterates that his role as Savior and Redeemer endows him with the power to grant to ALL the full blessings of his Father’s kingdom.

I believe this principle is taught more fully in the parable of the Prodigal Son just a few chapters later. (See Luke 15:11-32.) In the parable, the younger of two sons took his inheritance and wasted it in riotous living until finally, while hungry and eating with the pigs, he “came to himself,” concluding that he needed his father’s compassion even though he was no longer worthy of it. The father sees him approaching from afar and has compassion; he runs to his son, falling on his neck and kissing him. He then adorns him with beautiful clothing and kills the fatted calf for a celebration of his return.

The elder son, who had remained with his father and served for many years, never transgressing, was angry and would not join the celebration. Finally he admits resentment for never having received the smallest accolade for his long history of faithfulness. His father’s response seems a bit more like a lecture than a comfort: “Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.” But what did the elder son want from his father? Validation? Gratitude? Praise? Fairness? I think what he needed was a hug! He desperately wanted to feel his father’s love. But he seems trapped in the same struggle as the man asking for Jesus’ help securing his inheritance: an inability to see beyond worldly limitations.

So how do we move beyond that limiting paradigm? I think we must go back to Jesus’ own words, “Who made me a judge or a divider over you?” I don’t think we were given the parable of the Prodigal Son so we could ourselves engage in hypothetical judging and dividing. I believe the message of the parable is not that we should be like neither son, but rather that we should be like both. If we want God’s glory (to be like him), we must obey and work. If we want to feel God’s love, we must allow ourselves to need him.

At any given time, one or the other of those desires may be stronger or more motivating. But no matter who we are or where we have been, both God’s glory and his love are available to us all. This is the true message of abundance.

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Previously published in the “Little Purple Book“