Luke 15:24
This son of mine was dead, but has now come back to life. He was lost and has now been found.” And they began to celebrate.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Forty-six-year-old
Lacey Wildd has undergone 35 plastic surgeries, including 12 breast
augmentations that have enlarged her to a size LLL. Despite protests
from her six children, she recently underwent surgery to remove fat from
various places on her body – including her eyelids - and to inject four
pounds of it into her backside. She will now have to sleep on a
specially designed mattress with a “cut-out” to accommodate her
enlargements. She also got a “nose job”. Wildd makes public
appearances for a living and said she hopes to become an “extreme adult
Barbie”.
After surgery, Wild’s daughter Tori, a college
sophomore, tearfully said, “I just hope she can open her eyes.” Her
26-year-old son, Silas, stroked her hair and said, “You’ve really done
it this time, Mom.” He told an interviewer, “We kinda have to suffer
through the consequences with her.” Tori put her “battle” aside while
her mom recuperates…but this woman’s antics are clearly taking a toll on
the family. One wonders how many times her children will go with her
to the surgeries (because she does plan to have even more!)…and how long
they will continue to welcome her back into their lives as she persists
to make herself look even more extreme and cartoon-like.
Do you
ever have a day when you truly want to give up? Your friendship or
relationship is in the pits, and you feel like it would be easier to
throw up your hands, walk away and start over with new friends or
another partner. Maybe someone in your life keeps doing things you feel
are really crazy (like Lacey Wildd), and you wonder how much longer you
can support them. Your kids/parents/grandparents are driving you nuts
with their comments and antics, and you feel like you just can’t take it
any longer. Perhaps you are like the man in this scripture passage
whose brother wandered away and wasted his money (and potentially his
very life) on “wild living”… you are fed up and disgusted – and maybe
even done!
If you go back and start reading at Luke 15:11,
you will see that the son realized his mistake and decided to go to his
father and ask forgiveness. And when the father saw this long lost son
coming toward him, he dropped everything and ran to him with open
arms. He ordered the best calf to be killed for a feast, and he gave
him new, clean clothes to wear. He told everyone that his son had
returned…that it was time for a celebration.
Could you do this?
If someone stole from you, hurt you deeply, or just went nuts and did
things that were embarrassing and ridiculous – then came to you and humbly
asked forgiveness - could you allow them back into your life? Could you
forgive so readily and even throw them a party? Now let me ask this in
a different way. Think about your own life and the mistakes you have
made. What if you humbled yourself before God and asked for His
forgiveness…and He refused you? What if God ignored your sincere
apologies and vows to turn over a new leaf and do better? Can you even
imagine it?
We take God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness for granted. We assume that God will always
be there for us, no matter what! And honestly, as born-again believers
in Jesus Christ, this is true. It doesn’t mean we should “test the
waters” or take advantage of God’s love and kindness…but we do have the
assurance that He will do this for us. So we have the confidence that
nothing can separate us from God’s love.
But do we offer this
same level of love, forgiveness, grace and mercy to others…and in doing
so, do we demonstrate God’s unconditional love and care to others? Do
we extend a welcoming hand…do we greet someone who is truly repentant
with a hug and a kiss and celebrate their new beginning? Are we willing
to put the past in the past and move forward? In this parable from
Luke 15, you see that the older son actually protested all of the
festivities. He pointed out to his father how he had done everything right…how he had been obedient and trustworthy…and no party had ever been given on his behalf.
Here’s my take on the point of his father’s response…God doesn’t give up on us, so we should not be so quick to give up on others.
God doesn’t love those who are obedient and faithful any more…or any
less. He does not take your loyalty and devotion for granted. He loves
you and relishes His relationship with you. But God wants this same
kind of relationship with your “brother” or “sister”, too. Each one of
us is incredibly important to God. So when one of us “stinkers” comes
back to Him, God is ready to open His arms, greet us with a hug, kiss
and new beginning – and truly throw a party.
Let’s be real
here…this is great news! On any given day, you or I could be the wild
and crazy person… or the “stinker”. Let’s hope none of us goes off the
deep end with plastic surgeries! The children of this woman will have a
big challenge ahead of them as they figure out how to live with their
mother’s appearance - and how to love and accept her in spite of it.
But God can help them figure this out. And He can help us persevere and
walk in love, grace, mercy and forgiveness toward others.
God
can use us to reveal Himself to others…and even throw a party in their
honor. Are you at a point in your relationship with Him where this is
possible? Isn’t it time you were?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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