Making time for others
The three of Jesus’ parables that remind us about caring for the individual.
Luke 15 contains three well-known parables of Jesus and we are told the reason for Jesus telling these parables. The chapter begins with, “all the tax collectors and sinners” drawing near to Jesus in order to hear Him. But there were also Pharisees and scribes present who spoke indignantly about Jesus because He welcomed sinners and actually ate with them. We are then told that Jesus, “spoke this parable to them”, i.e., to the Pharisees and the scribes. The text refers to a singular parable, yet Jesus actually told three parables to make His point to the Pharisees and the scribes.
The Pharisees despised these “sinners” calling them derisively the people of the land. They would have nothing to do with such people in their normal course of life. They would not deal with them unless they had to, and they certainly would not eat with them. They did not care for these “sinners”, either in this life or with regard to their place in the next life. The Pharisees observed the law and knew themselves to be righteous, while these “sinners” did not keep the law and were therefore deserving of anything unpleasant that happened to them.
In these parables Jesus is rebuking the Pharisees for their attitude to these “sinners”. It must be remembered that these “sinners” were fellow-Jews. The text is not speaking of Gentiles, so these Pharisees were speaking and acting dishonourably with regard to their own people, the people that they should be guiding into the ways of the LORD. Instead the Pharisees were only concerned with their own reputations and their own self-righteousness and in these parables Jesus is rebuking them for such attitudes.
We who trust in Christ love to see ourselves in these parables as the lost sheep that was found, or the lost coin that was found or as the son who is received back by his father. And there is no problem with that picture. But the parables were told in order to show the Pharisees what they were not doing. They, of course, did not see themselves as lost in any way, but they needed to see the responsibility they had before the LORD with regard to their fellow Jews who were not as ‘righteous’ as they were.
Who are the lost ones?
It is interesting that in the three parables it is individuals, or individual items, that are spoken of; It was one sheep, one coin and one son. The Pharisees should have cared for individuals who were not in the place where they should be with the LORD. They should have noticed the one sheep that had wandered off and then gone after it. They should have regarded that one fellow-Jew who was lost as precious enough to search high and low for him until he found him. They should have been watching out for the return of that individual Jew who had rebelled and brought dishonour to his family, and then, when he does finally return, welcome him back with open arms. In the gospels we see that much of the ministry of Jesus was with individuals and we can safely say that Jesus’ heart is still for individuals. Yet, like the Pharisees in Jesus’ day, we can be too busy to have time for the individual who is before us.
I find it quite fascinating to watch people, particularly in their conversations. The talk is often about what they have done, or what they are doing or what they will be doing. Then, of course, there is the boasting about their achievements. At the same time the other person is often waiting for the opportunity to get his word in and tell of his exploits, while not really listening to the first person’s words. This might seem to some people to be a slightly unfair view of such things, but sadly it is often true. But the central point is that it appears so few people seem to be interested in listening to another person’s story, or even getting to know them and what makes them tick. People can be so absorbed in their own things that concern for others is often lacking. And sadly, this can also be so of Christian believers. We can be so busy with the ‘things of God’, or our ministry, or our self-importance that we cannot see the person standing in front of us. Surely, if Jesus had time for us in our sin and misery, then should we not make time for others?
We do not need to be a prophet to notice someone who is troubled or hurt, or upset, or getting absorbed in things that are not healthy for a Christian to be involved with. That person may not want to speak openly with us for good reasons; they may have been hurt and betrayed too many times, but who knows where a kind word can lead to, given time? There are always people that we do not want to get involved with for good reasons as well as those people who just want to waste our time, but there are also those who may respond to a kind enquiry about their wellbeing if we are prepared to listen to their reply and be genuinely interested in them.
An unexpected response
In the third of the parables we can see that both of the brothers did not really know their father. The younger brother, after he had dishonoured his father’s name, as well as dishonouring his mother and the whole family, realises something of the depth of sin that he has committed and finally returns to his father. At that point what did he expect his father to do? The son may well have expected his father to say, ‘I do not know you; go, and never return’. This son had brought such shame upon his father and his family that his father could well have completely disowned him, as actually happens on occasions in that culture. What does appear from the story is that the son did not expect to be received back into the family at all. He was prepared to be a day worker on his father’s property, if he would have him. The son did not presume to be received back as a son and he was shocked therefore when his father embraced him and welcomed him back as a son. This he did not expect! He did not know that his father was like this. As we know, the older son also did not know his father either and he was angry with his father’s response to his brother’s return and he took no pleasure in the return of his brother.
In the first two parables Jesus is portraying what true spiritual leaders should be like – caring and searching for those who have gone off the path or who are starting to go off the path. The third parable shows us the heart of God towards those who have taken the wrong path and gone away from Him. And I believe it is implied, that only those who know this gracious and merciful heart of God for themselves, can be true spiritual shepherds among the LORD’s flock. It is possible to know what a person’s problem is and know the ‘correct’ way to counsel that person, yet not know the heart of the LORD for that person. In that case all that is being offered is human wisdom and human comfort, yet what that person truly needs is the revelation of the extent of the LORD’s love for him personally.
And how would we respond?
The third parable ends with the unanswered question of what the older brother’s response would be to his father’s final comments. Did he see the hardness of his own heart and seek to be restored to his father and to his brother? Did he stay bitter and angry at his father? There is no record of the response of the Pharisees to this third parable, but I am sure that they understood they were being shown up as the older brother in the parable.
If we can face the truth about ourselves, we have to realise that we can also be like the older brother sometimes. This is a sobering thought we have to face up to. In Jesus’ day there were many social and political problems facing the Jewish people, yet in the midst of all those bigger national issues Jesus was looking for those who would search and care for the individuals among His people and who needed to know the LORD’s personal grace and mercy in their lives. Let us not offer such people a drink from man’s “broken cisterns” (Jer 2:13) but offer them that living water that only come