WHAT KIND OF PERSON ARE YOU?

We've all had a chance to read the story of the prodigal son. If you haven't, you should give it a read. Someone once called the parable the parable of the loose-lipped servant or something along those lines. But more than being a parable of the lost son, it is a mirror that shows what kind of person we are in our daily lives. 

The parable of the prodigal son reveals to us different categories of people in the world. It begs the question. what kind of person are you? 

1. The All-loving and All-forgiving Father 

The perfect figure of love and compassion beyond the ordinary. This Father's love extended beyond the love of his sons, this love was evident in the treatment of his servants, so much that the son was willing to return to his father as a servant even if he had lost his place as a son. 

Would people return to us if they lost our love or trust? Imagine his father had matreated his servants, he might have lost a son forever. What kind of person are you? 

 2. The Prodigal Son 

Bold and daring in leaving and returning. He was arrogant enough to ask for his share of his inheritance while his father was alive. Not many can do that. 

He was daring enough to return after he had squandered all. Again, not many can do that. There is something about audacious people that draws us in, and this son had that in abundance. Imagine this audacity as a force for good, it would be unstoppable.

Beyond the story of his misdemeanours and squandering, this was a son who knew his father through and through, enough to ask for the inheritance, and enough to return as a servant, trusting in the kindness and never-failing love of his father. What kind of person are you? 

3. The Forward Servant 

When the son returned, there was rejoicing, so much that his father killed the prized calf in celebration. 

When his brother returned and heard the sound of rejoicing, he called a servant and asked him what was going on: The servant tells the older brother that his brother has returned home safe and sound, and their father has killed the prize calf in celebration. 

The older brother becomes angry and refuses to go into the house. I wonder if the reaction would have been different if the news was simply: your brother has returned home safe and sound. Is good news safe with you? What kind of person are you? 

4. The Older Brother 

The steady one, the faithful one, the jealous one. "The older brother becomes angry and refuses to go into the house. The father comes out and pleads with him." The older son complains that he has worked faithfully for years without disobeying, yet his father never gave him even a goat to celebrate with his friends. 

 Ask, and you shall receive. I think that is one lesson we can learn from the rascal son. Faithful ones can also also ask for things they need, rather than build up resentment. This is indeed something common to faithful people, they expect certain things, even though they don't ask. 

They want things done for them without asking, and sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't, yet we see rascals prospering and enjoying where faithful ones languish, or desire more. Would you be angry the best calf was killed to welcome a wasteful brother or would you be happy he returned safely? What kind of person are you? 

Conclusion 

Personally, the love of the father draws me near, for he was faithful and just to all. He understood perfectly human nature, and was able to relate to all at their level, so much that his lost son was most certain in his father's love for his servants even if there was none left for him. 

He was able to assuage the anger of his elder son with the simple truth: “My son, you are always here with me, and everything I have is yours.” That, indeed, faithfulness that stays true, will be rewarded. 

We could even go further to say that, yes, there was always a place for the returned son, but no inheritance except for what he gathers afresh. 

In all, once again, what kind of person are you?