Are you a groveler or a grumbler? Are you painfully aware of how you’ve strayed from what God wants for your life and how much you need to be forgiven? Or are you appalled by the actions of so-called Christians who don’t appear to have a clue of what it really means to follow Jesus? Are you a groveler or a grumbler?
If you’re anything like me, the answer is, “yes.” Both are a part of who I am. I think that’s why I’ve always felt a deep connection with The Parable of the Prodigal Son.
Here’s the deal. Jesus is hanging out with tax collectors and sinners and this isn’t going over well with the fine, upstanding religious people of his day, the scribes and Pharisees. “It just isn’t right!” they insist.
So, he responds to their grumbling with three stories, one after another. The first is about a shepherd who has a hundred sheep. One wanders off and he leaves the 99 to go and find it. As shepherds go, this isn’t a real smart thing to do, but it all seems to work out. He finds that one lost sheep and brings it back home. When he gets there, he tells his friends, “This is something to celebrate. Let’s have a party!”
Then the second story is about a woman who has ten coins. She loses one and turns the house inside out and upside down in order to find it. When she finally does, she calls to her friends and says, “This is something to celebrate. Let’s have a party!”
And, in case his audience doesn’t quite comprehend what he’s trying to tell them about why he spends so much time with the wrong kind of people, Jesus tells them one more story to seal the deal.
We know it as the parable of “The Prodigal Son.” We really like the part about the son who makes a mess of his life and returns groveling to his father, who is waiting with open arms. It assures us that no matter what we may do in this life, no matter how far we may stray, God’s grace never fails. It’s a story that brings tears to our eyes, especially if we’ve ever experienced our own version of it in real life.
But there’s another son in this story. This is the son who REALLY makes a mess of his life.
Jesus’ original hearers understand exactly who he’s talking about when he gets to this part of the story. They’ve heard enough parables in their lives to know that the punch to the gut always comes at the very end. The good religious folks have been listening carefully, and they know that they are not the lost ones in these stories Jesus is telling to defend the dubious crowd he’s eating with. They’re NOT the younger son who goes off and blows all his inheritance on foolishness. They’re the older son, the good one who always does the right thing.
One little detail about this story that’s easy to miss comes way up in verse 12, when the younger son comes to his father and asks for his share of the property. Notice what it says next: “So he divided his property between them.” Between them. The younger son isn’t the only one to receive his share of the property. And the way things worked back then, the older son gets two times what his younger brother gets. Just think about that… That means that he has received twice as much as his younger brother, and yet, he can’t bring himself to rejoice and celebrate when his brother is restored to his family.
The older brother has a way of looking at the world that says people get what they deserve and the most deserving should get the most. It’s similar to what we call the Protestant work ethic, and it’s assumed in our culture. It’s a big part of us. The Protestant work ethic teaches us that, if you want anything in this life, you’re gonna have to work for it. And if you work hard enough, you’ll be rewarded. It’s so ingrained in our culture that many people will fight to the death before they’ll admit that it might not necessarily happen that way. Or, God forbid, that maybe it shouldn’t happen that way.
When the younger son finally returns home, why does the father say, “Let’s celebrate!?” Is it because the son came and groveled at his feet? The father has his arms around his son before the boy even has time to finish the little apology he’s been rehearsing the whole way home.
We don’t know if the son is truly repentant or if he’s just desperate and poor. What we do know is that this son is totally undeserving. And that, of course, is the point. Because that’s the way grace works. And it’s too much for the older son to bear.
I remember once taking a group of college students to Washington, DC on a mission trip. We served lunch to the homeless in a soup kitchen. It was a real learning for the students because of some of the assumptions they had about homeless people. The students assumed that those coming to the soup kitchen would be humble. And grateful for the food. They would realize that these were college students who had chosen to come here over their spring break when they could have been in Fort Lauderdale, so they would appreciate these kind young people who were serving them.
Well, some did. But some did not. They complained about the menu and the portion sizes. They didn’t say “thank you” when they were served. A few of the students told them what they thought of their behavior and I had to intervene. We had a lot to talk about during our group meeting that night. It was a good learning.
They were reacting as the older son who expected a little more in return for his exemplary behavior. These ungrateful homeless people weren’t groveling enough! They didn’t deserve kindness. Yeah, that’s about right, isn’t it?
Despite the worldview of the culture around us, we need to be reminded of how things work in the Kingdom of God. And we need to figure out which kingdom we’ll pitch our tent in. God’s kingdom is not about deciding who deserves food, and clothing, and health care, and an adequate education for today’s world, and who does not. God’s kingdom is a place of mercy and compassion for all. Especially those many of us would deem undeserving.
God’s kingdom is not about excluding the undesirables who don’t meet our standards. It’s a place where all are welcome as children of God, without reservation.
And so, rather than schmooze with the good religious leaders, Jesus chooses to hang out with outcasts and untouchables, tax collectors and sinners. And he says, “This is something to celebrate! Let’s have a party!”
Certainly, it’s an invitation extended to those who don’t deserve it. But I can assure you that it’s also an invitation extended to those who are absolutely convinced that they do. Grovelers and Grumblers alike, God’s Grace is extended to all.
