The Other Brother...

Most of us have some familiarity with the story of the prodical son, as recorded in Luke, chapter 15. What is often lost in the telling is the reaction of the older brother. In a nut-shell, the story goes like this: The younger son of a wealthy man comes to his father and demands his inheritance. The father gives it to him, and he goes to a far off country and blows it all on wild living. After it's all spent the young man finds himself destitute, and eating the slop he's supposed to be feeding pigs. He realizes his father's servants are treated better and resolves to go home and ask his father to take him on as a servant. While still far off the father spots the son and runs out to meet him. He greets him as a son, and orders the fatted calf killed and a party to welcome home his lost son...
. Interesting to the story are several social mores that were violated, when understanding the culture of the day. As an aside I'll briefly mention several. First, to ask for an inheritance while your father still lived was the gravest of insults to the father. It was more of an act of disowning when the inheritance was given. The thought of returning as a son was not an option, hence the thought process of the son to ask for a job as a servant. Another taboo was for a man of wealth, of importance, to ever run. The more important, the more dignified, the slower he walked. Yet this father saw his son and threw social mores to the wind and ran to embrace and welcome his son home. That Jesus included these in this parable is important to understanding the Father's love and forgiveness toward us...
. But there's more to this story. Luke tells us that when the older brother heard the music, and saw the partying, and learned the reason why he became angry and refused to join in. There's a scene recorded where the father pleads with his son to join in, but the son lists his objections; he has been faithful, he has been loyal, he has honored the father, he has "slaved" for years, yet never has the father honored him with a party like he's doing with the disobedient son who squandered all on prostitutes and wild living. It's interesting that the father's words are an example of undeserved love and forgiveness, and yet no where does the story indicate the older brother relented in his anger. Why?
. It stands to reason that the older brother realized what the return of the younger brother meant. After he left all that remained became the inheritance of the older brother- the present wealth and future earnings as well. The return of his brother, with status as a son, endangered all that. The older brother didn't just display anger, but also greed, envy, indignance, judgementalism, and disrespect...
. We know the father in the story represents God the Father, and the prodical son the sinner who realizes the folly of his way and repents, but who is the older son? I think it's those who fool themselves into believing that they can live "good enough" lives on their own, those who think if their good deeds outweigh the bad they'll be all right. Like the older son, they live in awareness of the Father without ever really experiencing true relationship with him, aware of a better life but not sure how to tap into it. They are truly the "lost"son...