How often do we read a Bible story title, a sermon title or a book title only to make assumptions, form judgments or label someone or something prematurely? Maybe we have bias, prejudices or discriminatory associations that form.
There’s a fascinating story about labels in the Bible, and it’s the well-known story about the parable of the Lost Son. The labeling begins with the humanly inserted header — "The Parable of the Lost Son" — which is intended to give context to the scripture verses that come next with the related biblical story.
The story simply begins, “There was a certain man with two sons.” The title and the story introduction alone should be enough to make us pause. Yet, if we focus on one familiar part, we might miss the full picture.
Frequently, we Christians assume the essence of a story from its title. We think we know it all just from the heading, from prior experience or from different types of associations or connections commonly based on age, gender or ethnicity. We form judgments and ideas resulting in tagging people or situations with labels.
Often, we come to church with these preconceptions, deciding what’s good or bad before we truly understand. Pain and separation are the result of any resulting prejudices or preconceptions we may have. This pulls us apart instead of bringing us together.
When we see the “Lost Son” title, we think we know the story — we assume it’s about a wayward son’s loss and return. However, this parable is about more than just one son. There are two sons of a father, and both are important to the story.
We often divide people into categories — the good son and the bad son. Even if we don’t say it outright, we think it. We often simplify things to one perspective, but Jesus presents both.
Fortunately, God doesn’t categorize us this way as “good” or “bad” children. When you come to the Bible account, you read about the younger son and the older son, both loved equally by the father.
The Lord doesn’t say, “I have one son” or, “I have one daughter,” who behaves best or worst. The Lord says, “I have two types of children: the older and the younger. They are my children. I love them equally.”
Some people will say, “I have 40, 50, 60 or 70 years in the faith.” That’s great for older children who have more life experience with the Father. At the same time, the younger child doesn’t have as much growth experience yet and has the potential to grow more. Both the younger and the older need God’s grace.
The younger and the older are the only difference we should have in the church. We don’t need extra labels or tags. Sometimes, I don’t know which one I am. Maybe I’m the younger sibling or the older sibling, but this doesn’t matter. It’s not about how I behave, but it's about God’s grace that I accept.
With all the sermons and Bible stories shared about the Lost Son through the years, it’s easy for us to revert to our human thinking that the younger son is the wicked son who left his father’s house to live a sinful life and spend his money on prostitutes and wild living.
We call him the joker who wastes his father’s money. We call him the lost son and celebrate his return. We give ourselves the authority to call him lost. We condemn him before reading scripture. He’s condemned, just with the reading of scripture.
And we are condemning a lot of people just with a title, label or tag. Or perhaps with just a glance at skin color or someone’s gender. Maybe we internally condemn someone because of their religious or political affiliation.
In this parable, God shows that both sons are His, regardless of behavior. The difference isn’t about being good or bad, but simply younger or older. This perspective shifts our understanding.
So, who is the Lost Son? Traditionally, we think it’s the younger son who squandered his inheritance, but the parable reveals more. When the younger son returns, he is welcomed by the father, while the older son, though obedient, stands outside, angry and refusing to join the celebration.
In the last part we see, the younger son is inside, reconciled, while the older son remains outside, estranged. We don’t know from the story if the older son ever does go back into the home.
In our lives, how often do we stand outside holding onto judgments and refusing to join the Father’s joy? We must learn not to categorize people as good or bad but to recognize them as God’s children, younger or older. Our worth isn’t determined by behavior but by God’s grace and love.
Let us embrace each other as the Father embraces both sons, recognizing that we are all His children, deeply loved and valued. God sees each person as His son and daughter. It doesn’t matter how we come to Him, we are His.
We should decide to continually come into the Father’s house to take full advantage of everything the Father offers. It’s better to be in the house, instead of near the house. May God help us to be in His house and to not discriminate against anyone in the church.
