“Once you have given up knowing who is right, it is easy to see neighbors everywhere you look.”
-Barbara Brown Taylor
The gospels uniquely teach us about the life and ministry of Jesus and his heralding of an upside-down kingdom. The kingdom feels foreign yet it is one we were originally intended to experience. The Prodigal Son is one of three parables about lost things. Jesus launches into these stories as the Pharisees and teachers begin grumbling about the undesirable company Jesus is keeping (tax collectors and sinners- oh my!). I wonder if this grumbling stems from the Pharisees coming face to face with this upside-down kingdom. If King Jesus breaks bread with such company, then where do the devout, the ‘good guys’, and the ones who are ‘right’ fit in to this kingdom? Perhaps envy and fear are the basis of this grumbling. Maybe these Pharisees are even a little belligerent about their uncertain status.
In these parables, the preciousness of the lost item is emphasized. A dedicated shepherd lovingly searching for his lost sheep. An old woman tearing her house apart for that one coin. The prodigal son is precious to his father, clearly, the welcome home party demonstrates that- but what is he to his older brother?
The older brother, intent on pointing out who is right and wrong in this story misses the preciousness of his younger sibling.
Love your neighbor as yourself- we know this is one of the fundamental tenets of Jesus’ kingdom. If we desire to live within this kingdom, we must see neighbors – and their preciousness- rather than adversaries and opposition.
Anna Nielsen
Life on Mission Director