prodigal revisited

I really thought we had heard all there was to hear about this parable already.

Last week, we learned that in the land where the story is set, disputing parties never reconciled on their own. A mediator was needed to help repair the damaged relationship, and the elder brother would have been the prime candidate. By refusing to assume the role of mediator, the elder brother reveals himself to be every bit as self-centred as the younger brother he despises; and just as callous to what would give their father joy.

I was really struck by this insight as a firstborn child who gets irritated at having to play the mediator between my parents and siblings. An important challenge to not shrink from ”mediating”: bringing people back to one another, and to the father.

More to come...