ZPCBlog

About the Author: Averie Wallgren is a freshman at Highlands Latin School and has attended ZPC since she was two. She started in the Treehouse and is now a regular at HSM on Sunday nights. Averie’s parents, Jake and Kim, joined the church in 2010 and Averie became a member through Youth Inquirers in 2008. Averie has been in many children's programs at ZPC including VBS, Mini Great Escape (now called Momentum), and service opportunities through the food pantry and HSM. She lives on a small hobby farm in Zionsville and has sheep, goats, ducks, chickens, cats, and two dogs named Molly and Moochie. She takes voice and guitar from David Ackerman and is very grateful to be receiving a classical education at Highlands. Averie has a sister, Hazel, and two brothers, Dallas and Lyle. She loves acting, singing, reading, and volunteering.

Today’s Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

The Prodigal Son is a parable that has always captured my attention. It is a heartfelt story of a son going astray and becoming dead in his sin, then repenting and turning to his father again. When Jesus tells this parable, he is sitting and talking to the tax collectors and those marked as “sinners.” The Pharisees are grumbling about Jesus associating with the rabble; they are uncomfortable with the idea that the holy Messiah would mix with the unclean. Jesus hears their comments and tells three parables in response: the parable of the Lost Sheep, the parable of the Lost Coin, and our focal point today, the parable of the Prodigal Son and his Brother.

Jesus, as he tells the story, creates and outlines two types of people: the kind of people who stray off the straight and narrow, and the kind of people who pave the straight and narrow. I think we can find a bit of ourselves in each brother. We all make mistakes, some small and some large, and I have found myself at times to be inconsiderate toward those who stray. I wonder why they can’t just do what I’ve been doing, and why they seem to be praised more often than I, and for lesser things. Jesus is directing this parable at both parts of us; he promises unwavering love and forgiveness, even when we are unworthy and he makes us aware of the coldness we can display. When I was younger, I would hear this parable and think, “The older brother is so mean. Why wouldn’t he celebrate his brother?” but we have to be honest with ourselves and reflect: Are we the older brother? Why are we the older brother? What can we change to be more receptive and forgiving of our brothers and sisters? I know this process has been very rewarding for me and I hope the same for you.

Activity:

Find time to meditate and reflect on the scripture and look for ways to forgive this week.

Prayer:

Dear Lord,
You are the Welcoming Father who brings his best coat for us. You love and forgive us every time we sin. Thank You so much for sending your son Jesus to impart this wisdom upon us. Thank you for Your goodness. I pray that You will give me the eyes to see and the ears to hear and that You would soften my heart towards those I am begrudging to love.
Amen

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