The Prodigal Teapot: Loving the Unlovable-Part 3

The story of the prodigal son in Luke 15 provides the frame for many lessons and sermons. The prodigal son takes his share of his father's money, leaves home, and spends all of his wealth committing every sin that occurred to him. He, in essence, became unlovable. He was a shame to his father. He had sinned against God, and squandered all that was given to him. And then, when he had reached the very bottom of existence, he returned home.There he encountered two reactions from loved ones. One was Christlike, and one was. . . well. . . typical of many of the Christians encased in their own Bubble.

I'm sure that the father had often thought that his son was gone forever. The father grieved that all contact was gone and that his chance to influence him for God had ended. Perhaps, he prayed everyday that this lost son would return. Maybe after he finished praying, he would step out of his home and look down the path looking for the familiar gait of his lost son's walk. And then one day, he rose from his prayer, walked out to look once more, and saw him: his unlovable, bedraggled, smelly son returning to beg from his father. Just as Christ welcomes us dressed in our filthy rags of self-righteousness, this father held open his arms, embraced his unlovable son, and loved him anyway. The son came looking only for a servant's position, but the gracious father accepted him back into the family, and prepared a grand feast in celebration. His whole focus centered around God's goodness in returning his son to him. He was not worried about his own lost riches, only that his son was safe.

And then there is the other son, faithfully doing as his father asked. A good boy in every sense of the word. He obeyed, he stayed, and he conformed to his father's wishes. This is honorable. I think he really was a good son. But, he did not grasp the concept of grace, and loving the unlovable as his father did. His reaction at learning that the great feast was in celebration of his wayward brother's return speaks volumes about how he felt about forgiveness. He exhibited a bitter, jealous spirit, and contempt for his father's joy. His focus centered on himself. "I have done what my father asked. I have stayed right here and didn't waste money, and I don't stink like pigs. But he has never killed a fatted calf for me. Where's my feast?" He had no thought for the welfare of his unlovable brother's return. He saw the unloveable, and continued to reject him.

So at the end of the parable, the father still had a prodigal son. But, it wasn't the one who had slept with pigs, but the bitter one who couldn't forgive and rejoice in the return of his brother. 

It's easy to love those who are nice and cooperative and that think and act like us. It's Christlike to love those whose lives are ruined and who now need grace and forgiveness. 

Once a prodigal,
Teapotjan

The Prodigal Teapot-Loving The Unlovable, Part One

We all want our children to fit into our perception of perfect. Some parents long for a sports star offspring, while others pray for a professional cellist, or a doctor, or a computer programmer. Many people I know wanted their children to fit into the mold of a perfect Christian. You know the kind: fit, thin, bright smile, mind of a genius, amazing musical talent in both voice and instrumental areas, kind, community-minded, leader of people, highly spiritual, but humble in spirit, well-spoken and good-looking. I've been there. I've had dreams of my children becoming wealthy and supporting me in my old age in the luxurious fashion to which I've never been accustomed. 

I've met a lot of people. I've watched a lot of people. I have seen parents and kids in harmony and in conflict. What I haven't seen is an actual, perfect Christian parent or child. Ever. Why? Could be because they don't exist anywhere, not in the "F"undamentalist camp, not in the Emerging Church camp, not anywhere, not no how.

Why am I dashing parent's dreams of a perfect child? Because, they aren't going to be perfect, and we still need to love and cherish them anyway. We also need to realize that we aren't going to be perfect parents, and accept it, and do our best and get past any guilt over past mistakes.

I'm pretty sure this will be a multi-post subject. There are so many aspects to cover in the relationship between parents and children that they can't all fit into one neat little blog entry. The Bible has a great deal to say about parents, and children to the point of God being Our Heavenly Father. It's no mistake that He speaks of us as His "children."

I have pondered and reviewed and sought for a story where a hard-nosed, inflexible, parent standing on Biblical principles, and sporting a "by-God-you'll-do-right-or-you're-no-child-of-mine" attitude ever brought a child back to the Savior. So far, I haven't found one. On the other hand, I have heard story after story of wayward children pushed away from their homes and treated with such contempt that even when they turned back to God, the relationship with their parents was irreparably damaged. 

If you have stories of reconciliation or stories of heartbreak that you would like to share, please feel free to email them to me or message me on Facebook. I will use nothing without permission, and I will not mention details here or in my own personal conversations. 

There will be more in the next few days, but in the hope that I will gather more information from some of you, I'll wait a couple of days before I continue with this subject.
Lord, make me more like You. Let me love my children and others and see them as You do. Thank you, Father, for loving me and taking me into your grace. Bless those who are struggling with their children and with their own guilt and failures. Thank you for your perfect mercy given to your imperfect children.

In His Love,
Teapotjan