"But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him." v30 Luke 15:11-32. NKJV
There is always someone who will burst the bubble. The older son displayed anger, resentment and bad feeling towards his father and his brother. He had a Pharisaical attitude - one of unforgiveness, judgementalism, hostility and a total lack of grace. Just by his words, 'this son of yours', it shows how he felt about the situation. There was no compassion, no respect, no joy that his younger brother was safe and now at home. Just a sulking hostility.
To a degree, one can understand how he felt. He had remained faithful to his father and the work and had witnessed his brother with a, 'want, want, want,' attitude, pressuring his father for the inheritance. However, he was totally out of line with his attitude, which must have put a dampener on the celebrations. One thing this whole example shows us, is the love of the Father. His joy and compassion know no end. . He lavishes us with good things - abundantly. (John 10:10b). Everything that He does for us we don't deserve but we get it anyway. Each new morning is a fresh start with Him. (Lamentations 3:22-23) In fact, as Jeremy Pearsons says, 'My mistakes may be great but His faithfulness is greater.'
God's mercies are never-ending. The Hebrew word for mercies is hesed and it can be translated as 'Covenant Love or Steadfast Love'. It is linked with compassion, truth, faithfulness and goodness. With God hesed will always remain and be available to us.
Don't allow a bad attitude to ever enter your existence. Refuse to harbour a grudge against anyone. The devil may try to convince you that you are right to feel this way, but who do you follow - Jesus or him? Yes that's right, it's Jesus so act like Jesus would.
We're only human and God knows this and often we are tempted to have a good old moan and criticise session. But is it worth losing the joy, peace and hesed that God offers each day? Let God deal with the difficult person, He's pretty good at doing that. You just focus on the greatest thing that has ever happened to you. His Name is Jesus!
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