If you’re searching for an example of unconditional love, take a look at the father of the prodigal son.
The father is much like the helpless parent whose unending love is neither understood nor appreciated by either son. He allows his sons to make their own decisions, despite how bad those choices may be.
No matter what terrible wrong they may commit, he loves them. A perfect picture of the love of our Heavenly Father has for his children.
Notwithstanding the father’s love, the younger son wants to see him dead, so he can receive his inheritance, while the elder son is self righteously preoccupied with the “good standing” he has “earned”.
Their father’s unconditional love for them is completely beyond their comprehension.
The younger son begins to understand his father’s love only after his rebellion bears its bitter fruit, he is desperate, helpless and humbled, and finally returns desiring just to be a servant.
Yet upon his return, he experiences the love of his father who prepares a kingly feast for him and restores him as a son.
What happens in the heart of the elder son is uncertain. He has been working in the field seeking to earn his father’s love and acceptance. So he explodes with self-righteous anger when his father prepares a feast for his undeserving delinquent brother.
Since his understanding of love is conditional, he can’t believe that his father would reward his brother’s behavior. And he jealously wonders why his Dad has never lavished him this way.
No hint of love or joy over his brother’s repentance or his father’s relief when he returns. Instead he calls him the “son of his father” and is filled with bitterness and accusation. Perhaps it amazed him to begin to realize that his father’s love had all the time been unconditional and freely given without measure simply because they are his sons. We can only hope he finally softened under that realization.
God is not just a “loving” God. The scripture says that “God IS love.”
When we fully realize that His love cannot be earned but is freely given, then we will serve our Father because of His love for us. With so much work to be done, let’s be sure we’re working in and out of love, and not because we’re trying to earn it!
–by George Whitten
I had only perceived the story from the angle of the prodigal son and not the brother.this is a revelation.the unconditional LOVE of our FATHER.HE gives it not because of our works nor does HE withhold it for anything.John 3.16.thank you
Yes, God’s love is freely given and cannot be earned. Sometimes we have to go through
certain situations to realize or understand it.
The elder son’s reaction is understandable, because he has always had a certain perception of his
sonship. What he failed to see all the time is that everything his father owned was his as well.
The Bible doesn’t tell us in this story, but I think that at a certain moment in his life, the elder son would start to understand the whole situation. May the Lord help us all to serve Him, because of his love. This article is an encouragement for me. Thank you.