This past week at KidzHarbour we looked at the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Some of the kids had heard the story before and as I was giving them some of the context (“Remember how Jesus LOVED to tell stories?! One day, Jesus was telling people about his Father, God, and talking about how he is kinda like a dad who had two boys… yeah, kinda like Blake and Wyatt! …only older.”) they were looking up from their snacks and watching their Zoom screen, waiting to hear what happened next!
As we talked more about this parable and watched our snazzy little, 4-minute video about it, I couldn’t help but wonder what the children were actually getting from it. Some of the main themes like dishonouring your father and asking him pre-emptively for your inheritance is likely not super relatable for our five-year-olds. Or what about the fact that he spent all his money on “partying” and then wanted to eat the food he was feeding pigs?
Our kids aren’t farmers! And parties are still innocent and exciting… and free!
What in the world were they actually getting from this?
I sensed the Holy Spirit redirecting my attention to the older son at the end of the story.
The Father’s interaction with him is just as valuable and beautiful as the conversation he had with his younger, prodigal son. And yet we often remember more about the robe, sandals and ring than we do the fact that the Father also declares his love for his older son!
I began to share with them one of my favourite things about this story…
“You know how sometimes you start a movie or show before bed? And then, right as it’s getting to a really good part, it’s time to go to bed and you don’t get to see what happens next?! And you have to wait aaaaall the way until morning?! …This story is kind of like that!”
We never find out if the older brother joins the Father and his brother, and all their neighbours, for the party! Jesus totally leaves us with a cliff-hanger! Even though I’ve always kind of assumed he pouted outside for the rest of the evening, pretty much everyone in our KH Zoom call agreed that the older brother probably did go in and join the party.
Just like I told the kids, each and every one of us are made special and are SO loved by God. Whether we have gone away from him and haven’t talked to him in a while or if we have been there with him all along… regardless of how far away we are from the Father when the themes of dishonour or selfishness appear in our story… we are always welcomed back!
We are all invited in for the party! And we get to choose whether we pout outside angrily, or if we will forgive our siblings and join our Father.
Jesus thank you so much for the many, many stories you shared with your friends
and with the people around you!
Thank you for teaching us about who your Father is and about how we can
get to know him more.
Thank you also for your Spirit that is alive within us!
May we learn to depend on it more and more as we learn to set aside our frustrations… becoming children who choose to join the party rather than clinging to our disappointments.
As we move forward with the rest of our day, may we see your love for your children
in new ways – ourselves included.
Father, may we celebrate with you over our brothers and sisters despite where we’re at.
May we always choose to accept the invitations you extend to us.
Amen.