The Older Brother

Out of all of the characters in the bible, I've always related to one more than any of the others:

The older brother in the parable of the Prodigal Son.

I feel like I've always had "older sister syndrome," as my friend Alex calls it. I asked her what that meant once and she described her own older sister--how she has just a natural instinct to be responsible and tell others what to do.

I see that in myself for sure.

When I read the parable of the Prodigal Son, I don't identify with the younger son. I have never gone and squandered my estate on wild living. I identify with the older brother. I have remained faithful--to my parents' expectations, to my own values, in my walk with God.

Maybe that's a prideful statement. Yes, I have stumbled, but I haven't done anything that has severely altered my walk with Him. I have abstained from drugs, alcohol, and sex. I have put so much effort into my walk with God, I have served others for Him, I have made a conscious effort to love others and live differently as a testimony to my devotion to God.

And yet I see God pour his blessings over people who constantly disobey Him. It bothers me.

It bothers me how my parents give my rebellious siblings anything they want, but push me to the side.

If I were around during this time, I would join the older brother when he walked away from his brother's party. I'd be like "dude, I totally know how you feel." And then we'd probably make out and go sheep-tipping.

Tonight at Rock Harbor, the pastor talked about this parable. One thing he pointed out was the part at the end where the older brother goes out into the fields when the party is going on in honor of his brother's return.

It says that the father went out to him. The phrase went-out in this Greek translation is the same one used when he describes how the father went out for his lost son. So it shows that even the obedient brother was lost. (This was also Jesus' way of telling the Pharisees that they were just as lost as the tax collectors and common people.)

The exchange in Luke 15 28:-32 is pretty fascinating:

"The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. ²⁹But 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. ³⁰But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'

³¹" 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³²But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' "

The other thing he pointed out was that Jesus never says if the older brother comes back to the party. The story just ends. It's Jesus' way of telling the Pharisees that it's up to them, they can come to the party or just stand around moping.

He said that a lot of times we are like the older brother--we feel entitled and more important. Guilty.

I'm still bothered by how the younger brother becomes the star of the story. The story's even named after him. And then the older brother is regarded as the bad example. I don't think that's necessarily true. There are a lot of us older brother types out there. We have a lot to learn, I know. But sometimes I just feel like we are getting gypped.

Pray for my attitude there.