She stood at the wooden table kneading bread as the sun headed for the western horizon. She knew her husband and their two sons would be returning home from the field for the evening meal, meager as it was until harvest.
Tobia thanked the Lord for the food, his family, and the crop in the field. He finished with a blessing upon his wife and their two sons. That is when she noticed the younger son seemed angry. Defiant. What is troubling him? She wondered.
Xander paid no attention to his father’s prayer. He just sat there with his eyes fixed on him. “I want my share of the inheritance,” he said, with the slightest quiver in his voice that was overruled by the determination of his will.
His mother gasped. Her eyes darted to Tobia. Tobia gazed at Xander as though trying to read his son’s heart. The older brother stopped with his hand midway to his mouth.
“Why?” Tobia asked.
“Because I want to leave. I want to live on my own,” he finished, with a defiant raise of his chin.
“Have you considered the consequences, son?”
Xander glared at his father. “I’m leaving in the morning.”
Tobia nodded; not in defeat, but with compassion knowing his son’s decision would lead him down the wrong road. He would not, could not force his son to stay. He let him use his free will. He rose from the table and returned a few minutes later setting a small money bag on the table.
“You’re giving him his inheritance just because he wants it?” Izan asked, with narrowed eyes. Tobia remained silent.
While day after day, week after week, month after month, Tobia scanned the horizon hoping and praying the Lord would protect his son and bring him home, Xander squandered his wealth in wild living.
After a time, a severe famine struck the country to which Xander had fled. He had to take the lowest of the low jobs – feeding pigs! He was starving to death. So he devised a plan. I will go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” So he left the pigs and went back to his father.
While Xander was still a long way off, Tobia saw him. He knew it was his son. He was filled with compassion and love for him. He took off running – never taking his eyes off the lone figure coming towards him. He ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
Xander started his rehearsed speech, but Tobia interrupted him saying to the servants, “Hurry! Bring the best robe and put it on him and prepare a feast. We must celebrate! For this son of mine was dead and is alive again. He was lost, but now he is found!”
They had a celebration. A feast. Music. Dancing.
When Izan came from the field, he heard the music and dancing and asked one of the servants what was going on. The servant said, “Your brother has come back! Come and celebrate!” But Izan became angry and would not go in. So Tobia went out and pleaded with him to come in.
“All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed you! Yet you never gave me a party, but when this son of yours who squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you have a feast?”
“We had to celebrate,” Tobia said, “because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!”
In this story, Xander’s actions showed his selfish, arrogant, immoral, entitlement, and rebellious character.
Tobia’s response is contrasted with Izan’s. The father forgave his son Xander. His actions showed he was loving and compassionate. Izan refused to forgive, and his actions showed his character to be one of jealousy, bitterness, anger, and hatred.
Izan represents self-righteous, jealous, angry, and bitter people who resent God’s gracious forgiveness to those they consider to be far greater sinners than themselves. When self-righteousness gets in the way of rejoicing when others come to Jesus, they are no better than the Pharisees in Jesus’ day.
When one of the Heavenly Father’s wayward ones repents and comes back or draws near for the first time, His mercy, His grace, His forgiveness, His compassion, His holiness, His justice, His joy, and His unconditional love reveal the perfect character of the Most High God. And when even one sinner repents and comes to, or returns to, God there is a great celebration in heaven!!
Be aware – our actions show our character, and character reveals what’s in our hearts. Man sees the one; God sees the other.
Let us rejoice to know our Heavenly Father is always ready to forgive and to restore us to a right relationship because His Son gave His life to make it possible.