Lesson 2: Good Gospel Girls are not better than anyone else, because our sins may not be outward or as obvious or because we've known God longer or read our Bible more times than someone else. Good Gospel Girls are NOT to look down in pride or ever think that anyone is not worthy of God’s unconditional love.
Luke 15:11-32 The Prodigal Son
This is a familiar story to church-goers. One of those incredible pictures of the compassion and forgiveness of God in comparison with a father running to embrace his runaway son.
But we often overlook the sour attitude of the older son when he learns his brother has returned. Read below from Luke 12:
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, 26 and he asked one of the servants what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’
28 “The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, 29 but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. 30 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’
31 “His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. 32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”
Ouch. The older son could not rejoice over his brother’s return, but instead was filled with jealousy, bitterness, and anger towards his younger brother. How come he gets the party of a century, and I get diddly-squat? I’ve been faithful all along!! (Yes, this is how I picture 1st century Jews talking). It is a common attitude to have, to think somehow because we've been faithful servants all along, that God would love us or bless us more for our consistency, because obviously that's what God wants, right? Wrong! God looks at the heart, and if we're serving Him out of obligation and not out of love, it is like we weren't serving Him at all. It is like everything we ever did was useless and purposeless, like striking a gong (1 Cor 13) when we could be composing beautiful melodies that affect the lives of others when they see God's love demonstrated through us.
As Good Gospel Girls, what is impeding us from rejoicing with others or seeing the deep love that God has for them? Do we look at others through His eyes, rather than through the lens of arrogance and self-importance?
Join me on this journey on discovering what it means to love God more and see His perspective on the world around us. I will delve into my past experiences to share lessons God has taught me, reflect on current adventures, as well as pull resources and testimonies to help us all understand the bigger picture: He is God, and we are not.