absolution!

The other night at my "church meeting" (that's the easiest description), the topic was reconciliation. There, I learned that many others deal with more difficult "mistakes" carried out by themselves and others around them, that I seem to. Yet they are able to exude compassion and forgiveness. This reality makes coming to terms with my own small issues much easier.

We discussed a reading (Luke 15:11-32) about a man with two sons. The younger son squandered the man's possessions, lived recklessly and fled far away from his father. While the older son stayed and obeyed his father, worked hard and lived life as he should. When the younger son hit rock bottom, he returned to his father, who accepted him with open arms, flourished him with gifts and celebrated him. When the older son found this out, he was angry and resented the fact that he had honored his father this entire time and was never lavished, while his brother betrayed his father and was now rewarded. The father wished for him to rejoice in the fact that this lost son was now found.

I am definitely that older son. I really struggle with seeing people take other people or situations for granted and prospering from it. Instead of how I should feel as a Christian...content that these people are able to find someone or something to come to their aid. I've always been a firm believer in doing things for yourself, so instead, I find myself resentful. And that's my sin.

So today, I pray for patience and tolerance, and hopefully that will result in forgiveness for others' faults and my own.