The story of the Prodigal Son is well known. For those who have not read it before or haven’t read it recently it can be found in Luke 15:11-32.
The story of the Prodigal Son has always hit close to home for me. Obviously, it’s easy for me to relate to the younger son. You should read Luke chapter 15 above but a quick summary: there were two sons. They will be referred to as the elder/older son and the younger son as I write. The two sons were given their inheritances. The younger son left his home and went to a faraway city. There he squandered his inheritance on “riotous living.” When he hit the lowest of lows, the younger son returned home to beg his father to allow him to be a servant. The father, instead of showing anger, welcomed his son home, killed the fatted calf, put a robe on his son, gave him a ring, put shoes on his feet, and threw a huge party in celebration of his return.
The older son, upon hearing of his brother’s return and the subsequent party, was angry.
This story is often told in such a way that the primary lesson is about the Prodigal Son and his father’s reaction to his return. The story is called “the prodigal son” after all. That lesson being that no matter how we stray, how far gone are, and how many mistakes we make our Heavenly Father (the father in the story) will always welcome us back. In fact, Heavenly Father rejoices at our repentance:
“I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.”
Luke 15:7
All Prodigal Sons like myself rejoice at this story.
I once heard a different perspective on this story, and I’d like to share it. There is a great lesson to be learned in the story of the Prodigal Son by looking at a secondary character: the older brother.
A great question to ask yourself before reading any of Christ’s parables is “who was He speaking to?” Another good question is “What was He trying to teach?” If you look at the parable from the perspective of the Prodigal Son, you can say Christ was teaching those who have sinned that they can always repent and return to the light of their Heavenly Father’s love.
Who was Christ speaking to when he gave this parable? He was speaking to those looking for the message of God. He was speaking to the listeners. These were the ones looking for the message of God. When giving this parable Christ was speaking to the saints.
Consider what can be learned from the older brother. The older brother never left. The older brother never sinned. The older brother respected and worked for his father. Many say, and I always thought, he was justified in his reaction. His exact words in verses 29 and 30:
“And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid (fatted calf), that I might make merry with my friends:
But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.”
This appears to be a natural reaction. He had always been there. He had always done right. Only for his corrupt brother to return and receive honor.
Why did the older son stay and work hard for his father? Why did he keep his commandments? Was he simply looking forward to the inheritance he was to receive?
Why do you serve God and keep his commandments? Are you looking forward to your mansion? Do you serve God so you can inherit His glory? Are you serving Him for YOUR benefit?
We should serve God because we love God. We should serve God because we love those around us. Our service to God shouldn’t be for the blessings and honors He can give us. Our hearts should serve for love and not for our inheritances.
Jesus didn’t tell this story only to get sinners to repent. He also told this story to get the saints to repent. The Prodigal Son went out to experience life and disregarded his father’s possessions. The older son on the other hand stuck around, but he was working to please his father. He looked at himself as moral and worthy. He was after his father’s possessions. That’s what he concerned himself with. The elder son was keeping score. He was trying to earn his father’s love and inheritance.
Sometimes we are like the Prodigal Son: sinning and needing to return home. Sometimes we are like the older brother: serving for the glory of the world.
Often we are like the older son in our envy and jealousy. When someone returns to the fold do we judge them for their past? Or, like the father in the parable and our Heavenly Father, do we rejoice at someone’s return?
Elder Holland in his talk, The Other Prodigal, said:
“I testify that no one of us is less treasured or cherished of God than another. I testify that He loves each of us-insecurities, anxieties, self-image, and all. He doesn’t measure our talents or our looks; He doesn’t measure our profession or our possessions. He cheers on every runner, calling out that the race is against sin, not against each other. I know that if we will be faithful, there is a perfectly tailored robe of righteousness ready and waiting for everyone, “robes…made…white in the blood of the Lamb.” May we encourage each other in our effort to win that prize is my earnest prayer.”
Let us not compare our blessings to the blessings of others, what we have to the possessions of others. Let us support and help each other to all return to our Heavenly Father. Jealousy is of Satan. We should never look down on somebody who made mistakes and is trying to return to God, because then we are the sinner. We can learn from every character in Christ’s great parable. Be like the Prodigal Son and repent, humble ourselves, and return home. Be like the elder son and don’t envy but welcome our wayward brothers and sisters back home with joy and love. And be like the father, loving all those around us, embracing the sinner and the saint alike. I believe this is God’s hope for us and what Christ was teaching us through this story.
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Here is a link to Jeffery R. Holland’s talk, The Other Prodigal:
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2002/04/the-other-prodigal?lang=eng
No Coincidences 