The Older Brother

Luke 15:25-32

The third main character in the parable of the prodigal son is the elder brother. He has continued to work with his dad faithfully. He has never demanded any special consideration, just consistently doing what was asked. Now he comes home and and stumbles into a party for his brother, that he didn’t know about.

“Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him.” (Luke 15:25-28)

They’re having a party for the brother that took everything he could and left. They’re using what the older brother helped to earn to pay for it, and they didn’t even think it important enough to tell him. It’s as if all his work counts for nothing. His dad must love his younger brother more than himself. Imagine the hurt he feels. He expresses what he is feeling to his father.

“And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.” (Luke 15:29-30)

A lot of people would have condemned the older brother and told him he couldn’t feel that way. It would not have changed his feelings. He would have just felt guilty for having them, and resentful at such unfair treatment.

His emotional response is common among Christian’s when they see the excitement over some new Christian’s actions. It is easy to feel the same way when we look at the story of the workers in the field in Matthew 20:1-16. After all, if those who only worked an hour receive the same pay as those who have worked all day, it seems pretty unfair. You could have goofed off all day and still earned just as much. The workers clearly thought it unfair.

The father does not condemn the older brothers feelings. They are based on what he perceives to be true. Instead, he points out some facts his son had overlooked.

“And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.” (Luke 15:31-32)

We must learn not to trust our emotions, because they tend to respond without considering all the facts. Although nothing has changed, a tiny difference in perspective can completely change our emotions. The person who was thrilled about finding a hundred dollar bill yesterday can be depressed today because it wasn’t a thousand, even though he still has the hundred. The emotions are irrational, and thus must not be trusted.

While the son felt unwanted and left out, the truth was that everything the father had left was also his, and his father was working with him to make it grow. He was welcome to participate in the party, but there had been no opportunity to tell him about it, and he had been there all the time enjoying time with his father.

That his father gave a party when his son returned was proper, because for all purposes the younger brother might well have been dead. Instead he has returned safely, and that in itself is cause for rejoicing. They know where he is. The same type celebration would have been held if the older brother had just returned. Knowing that his father was that excited about having his son home demonstrated how much he loved both his sons. The emotional feeling that he didn’t love him was entirely false, and was causing him to miss out on the great blessing of having his brother back, as well as the realization of how much his father loved him.

While the laborers in Matthew 20 felt cheated because the owner paid those who worked on hour the same amount as he paid those who worked all day, they were overlooking a couple of important facts. They had received exactly what they contracted to do the job for. They had not been cheated. If the owner chose to give others money for doing nothing, that was his choice. It was his money. They had not been cheated, despite their feelings of being wronged. The owner was entirely within his rights.

It is the tendency to follow our emotions that leads to many of the problems in life. For example, a wife found out her husband had withdrawn several hundred dollars from their checking account and not told her. Immediately she concluded he must be having an affair and after a huge blowup, left him. A friend of mine bought two cruise tickets from the husband at a real bargain because he had bought them as a surprise to celebrate their anniversary and no longer needed them.

Emotions are like taking a Rottweiler for a walk. If they are well trained and disciplined, it is a real pleasure to have their company. If they are allowed to do as they please, however, they will drag you wherever they want to go and it will be a miserable walk. It’s up to you which you have.