Transformation? Praise, Don't Pout!

In the story of the Prodigal Son the father decided to acknowledge the demands of his younger son and give him his inheritance so he could leave home. The father yielded, knowing that the immaturity of his son could lead to disaster. The father was wise enough to know if he held on to his son, he would not have his son's commitment to lead a productive life. This son not only lost his inheritance but also came close to losing his life.

 

          When the son returned home broke, sick and ashamed, the father saw that a transformation had taken place. Gone were the arrogance, the self-centeredness and "I don't need you" attitude. Now there were humility, a sense of gratitude and a true repentant heart.

          The older brother refused to celebrate the transformation of his younger sibling. He chose to be angry and pout. Anger’s message in the older brother was, “All I’ve done is work to please my father and it means nothing to him.” The father's response to the transformation was like the angles who rejoice when a sinner repents and returns to God.

Why Anger?

Anger always has a message and a goal. Benjamin Franklin surmised that anger is never felt without a reason. When the older brother in the parable of the Prodigal Son became angry with his father for giving an extravagant party for the returning younger brother, he felt his anger was justified.

The father's efforts to console the older brother were brushed off. Listen to the father's appeal: "Your brother was dead but is now alive; he was lost but is now found." Still his anger could not be appeased. "I've always been responsible. I obeyed your every command, yet you never once gave me a party."

Anger’s underlying message was, “You love my brother more than me.” Anger's message rarely gets an in-depth examination of a situation because it blurs our vision and limits our range of hearing. The older brother could have asked, "What does my father see in my younger brother that I cannot see? What will I lose by remaining angry?" May God help you ask similar questions when you’re angry.  

Celebrate or Excommunicate?

Have you noticed how anger can be detrimental to achieving a worthy goal? Anger has the capacity to surface with minimal prompting. The father of the prodigal son was so thankful to see his son alive that he called for an all-out celebration, proclaiming, “My son was dead but is now alive, was lost but is now found!”

The older brother would have nothing to do with the celebration. His anger was directed toward his brother for coming home alive, and he was even angrier with his father for treating this irresponsible son as a prince. Visualize the father running down the road to greet his son with hugs and kisses, then ordering a prime rib beef dinner to celebrate.

When the older brother learned of the joyful celebration, he was angry to the depths of his being. The goal of his anger was to spoil his father's joy because the father refused to disown his wayward son and excommunicate him from the family. God’s command is, “Be angry, but do not sin.” Anger always has a reason, but it may not be a good one.