Advent Guide: You BelongSample

Love and Family

During the Christmas season, it's natural to think about love. For most of us, this sense of love originates with the realization of the great love God showed us by sending his perfect Son into a world darkened by sin, bringing the light of his love, forever pushing back darkness.

However, there is a story from Scripture where love within a family at times seemed allusive. It's Jesus's story of a man with two sons.

We've known the younger brother as the Prodigal Son. This son, showing no love or concern for others, asked to be separated from family, immediately gaining his inheritance and moving to a far country to explore life on his own selfish terms. For this young man, family love did not seem to exist.

Another character is the son we know as the elder brother, who became enraged with jealousy and resentment, believing his own good deeds had earned him the father's attention, care, and inheritance. We realize this son, while never leaving the farm, had in his heart, left the father and the family.

The third character is the father. We see him eager to receive the wayward child home, showing unconditional love and grace. We also see him assuring the elder brother of his abiding and everlasting love for him.

While both sons failed to show love for family, the father consistently showed remarkable grace and unending love for all.

We can identify with each of these characters. At times, like the prodigal, moving away from God and making horrible choices while hurting those around us. We see in the elder brother our tendency to work hard, believing our efforts earn us the Father's love, thereby never fully experiencing the boundless love offered by His Mercy.

It's in the Father we see unconditional love which offers life-giving grace. We realize we can do nothing to cause the father to love us less and we do nothing to cause him to love us more.

During this season of love, may we become more like the Father, offering his love to all.

Lee Bush is a retired businessman and Christian layperson. He is a former chair of the Buckner International Board of Trustees and serves on the boards of numerous nonprofits. Lee and his wife Susan are long-time members of First Baptist Church in Athens, Texas.