Look At Yourself

Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.

But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son.

Make me like one of your hired servants.”’ “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

“Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’

“But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.

But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’ “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’”

Luke 15:11-32

Taking a long honest look at ourselves is one of the hardest things for us to do. Admitting that I need help, something is wrong in my life is very difficult. Why is that so difficult? Because!

We are trained for self-protection and self-preservation – not self-evaluation. Not only that, but society is also helping promote the idea that nothing is wrong with self, that whatever it is that affects you is someone else’s fault. You are not the best you because someone else has a problem with you. The scripture we just read brings attention to two individuals who need to look at themselves. In this story we just read shows us what happens when we stop placing blame for our failings on others and take a very close look at ourselves.

Normally this passage is used to tell the unsaved how God still loves them regardless of how much sin they have been in. That truth is found in these sections of verses, and it is beautiful. But there is another truth that can be added to that first truth. That we, so-called believers can be just as bad as the worldly folks in our judgements and lack of forgiveness.

While one brother came to himself and made improvements, the other brother maintained his righteous pride and continued to live in his misery. The simple truth is this: making the most of our lives comes from an honest look at our true condition.

In short, look at yourself.

The late Michael Jackson called attention to self-examination with his song “Man in the Mirror.”

I'm starting with the man in the mirror

I'm asking him to change his ways

And no message could've been any clearer

If they wanna make the world a better place