We don't have to be prodigal to be a son. Eventually, in our spiritual walk, we pass the point of constantly returning to the Father's house after a season of rebelliousness. Eventually, we become faithful residents- sons, in fact, in His house. We begin to take up the responsibilities and callings of a Christian, as it were. But God forbid that we take on any further likeness to the elder brother!
I don't believe Jesus is saying that corruption and pride are inevitable in God's service. Surely, we have to deal with and expunge those things from our lives, but it will not remain forever; not when He perfects us. The great thing to remember, and the thing I believe the prodigal son's brother forgot, is sonship. We don't need to have the weight and guilt of open sin in order to run into the Father's arms. Every day (and, on THAT Day), when we rise and when we rest, we can run into the Father's arms and find acceptance, forgiveness, love, peace, and Jesus Himself, just like the prodigal son did. It is irrelevant how much work we have done, or have not done; it is irrelevant how hard we have stumbled, or how strong we have walked. In other words, God's grace, attention and love are exclusive to neither the longsuffering faithful nor the recently repentant. If only we would run into the Father's arms with a heart of meekness and surrender, God, by the blood of the Lamb, will not turn us away.
oh, for the strength of the elder, but the heart of the younger!
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