Written by Richelle Thompson
Luke 15:31-32 (NRSV) Then the father said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours…was lost and has been found.”
The message of today’s parable—that God is always ready to embrace us, even when we have strayed—is a lovely and reassuring story. But even as a child I felt badly for the good son—I could relate.
With one sister who was a rebel and another who was often sick, I didn’t require the same amount of attention. Despite my many blessings as an adult, I sometimes still resent the perception of favoritism. Maybe some of you have felt this way too. It doesn’t seem fair.
I am learning—slowly, in fits and starts—that my idea of fair is perhaps not God’s. I think about the parable of the workers in the vineyard: All are paid the same amount, even though some have worked full days and others only a few hours.
The question is not whether I deserve more than another, but whether I receive what I need. In that blessed equation, I am rich indeed. And on the days when I can be my best self, I can celebrate and rejoice with my family. On the other days, I bid your prayers.
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