Daily Devotional for Saturday, March 28

The Resentment of the Older Son

“And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends,” Luke 15:29.

We have all had times in our lives when we have lost perspective in life.  We can become overly focused on specific details. We can develop a selfish viewpoint causing us to lose sight of the bigger picture and lose grasp of having a good understanding of a situation or circumstance. This can lead to heightened emotions, extremist reactions and difficulty in making rational decisions. Like this brother, one of the quickest ways one can lose perspective is to live a life focused on how we have been done wrong and how we have been treated unjustly. The Bible talks about how the root of bitterness can grow and poison not only individuals but also families, tribes, nations and future generations.

The other brother in this story lost perspective. He was dialed in on how his brother had dishonored and disparaged his Father.  He could not get past how he himself had been so faithful and, yet, never celebrated such. He felt he had been done wrong. The Father went to him and helped him gain perspective by reminding him that he was loved and that his brother was lost but now was found.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Have you been distracted from the “Big Picture”? Remind yourself of the spiritual reality that there is a battle being waged for the eternal destiny of lost souls all around you.

Jonathon D. Smith