Robes, Rings, and Fattened Calves

 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate...’ The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’” Luke 15:22-30

I have been reading a great book by Timothy Keller, The Prodigal God. It is an in-depth study of the parable that Jesus told regarding a man who had two sons. We know it as The Prodigal Son but the Bible does not refer to it in that name. One son demands his inheritance, leaves home, squanders every cent on sinful living, and determines he will die if he doesn’t return home. The other son who faithfully and dutifully remained with their father has been picking up the slack no doubt. The days were long and hard as he carried the load for two people. Our passage tells the story of a humbled repenting son and a prideful resentful son. Truth is both sons were alienated from their father. We can find ourselves in both as we walk out our own journeys home. The younger son was physically separated while the elder son was emotionally separated. In the story the father had to go out and invite both of the sons in. The attitude of the elder son was anger. ‘He feels he has the right to tell the father how the robes, rings, and livestock (fattened calves) of the family should be deployed’ p. 44. 'If, like the elder brother, you believe that God ought to bless you and help you because you have worked so hard to obey him and be a good person, then Jesus may be your helper...but he is not your Savior’ p. 44.

How many times have we approached God reminding him of the things we have done for Him? The principles that we have upheld...the faith that we have placed in Him...the tithe that we offer Him. Are we no different than the elder son as secretly we judge all of the bad things that other people have done and keep account of our good deeds? Why do they get grace for being bad and we get nothing for being good? If we are honest, we probably can relate to the elder brother a little more than the wild rebel who is shockingly self-focused and sinful. 

The great news is that we all are living ‘east of Eden’ because of the fall of Adam and Eve. When we accepted Christ as Savior, we became adopted into the family of God. Even if we alienate ourselves from our Father, we still hold the position in the family. ‘Jesus will make the world our perfect home again. We will no longer be living ‘east of Eden,’ always wandering and never arriving. We will come, and the father will meet us and embrace us. And we will be brought into the feast’ p. 117.