Crowsfeet 12.19.22

Salutations and greetings be upon you that seek wisdom from one such as I. May the Lord God bless these words that you read, and bless the writer. It is an odd thing to think that the writer needs a blessing, but this is written by a mortal being that has sought wisdom from on high and his Heavenly Father has bestowed on him with grace and understanding words that ought to be shared with all. 

What if I was to say to you that a young man demanded his inheritance from his still alive father? The father was an exceptionally wealthy man that had an empire that expanded over two billion dollars in revenue after taxes every year. The wealth of this man was well represented in his two sons, one was as hard working as his father, the other was more well known to the public eye and loved by the people for the exceptional parties that he hosted under his father’s name. One day the father took ill and the sons were distraught by the future. The second son, the partier, demanded his inheritance from his father. His father had stated in his will that his multi-billion dollar was to be split evenly between the two sons. 

The partier took his inheritance half of the companies and investments and liquefied them all down to cold cash. He was unaware of prices and demands and took less than half of what it should have been worth and went on a world tour. He got almost through France before his funds ran out. His friends abandoned him once their first class treatment ended, once they had to start spending their own funds, they went home and afforded him no ticket back to his home country. Parties and women and no return for all that he had spent. Bridges burned and his name was forgotten. 

He found his first job as a dishwasher in a town whose name he could not pronounce. It was while he was there, living in the squalor of his meager paycheck in a hostel with 30 other men, that he saw a company name that he once knew intimately. It was one of the companies that he had inherited. It was still around and saved from bankruptcy by the former owner taking special care of it.

“Would it not be better for me to return home and work under my brother? He may take pity on me and set me to work cleaning his bathroom and I would still be able to have a decent life.” 

So the partier set out early the next morning and worked his way back to what was once his home. Overseas and on merchant ships, not the best of conditions but his hope was set on what the future may bring. He made landfall and immediately set out for his hometown far to the west it was. He walked along roads and begged for food. He hitchhiked and constantly moved west. In his perseverance he found his way back to his home road. 

There was no movement, there was no traffic, a house that had once had a road that always had cars and trucks on it was now eerily quiet. He looked small and dirty covered grime filled his ears and hair. He had traveled across an ocean and many countries and states, all of them were filled with noise of people and now that he was faced with the prospect of approaching what now may be a stranger’s house. He then saw the strangest thing of all his travels, a man in a bathrobe sprinted out of the front door and grabbed the partier before he could turn to leave. The man in the bathrobe had been the sick father, and though he was just recently on the mend, he was filled with an ending joy at seeing his lost son be returned to him. 

“Father, I am unworthy to be called your son. I have done nothing good even with all that you gave me.”

The father fell to his and grasped at his son’s legs as if to keep him there and to make sure that he did not run again. The father’s servant’s had joined him outside and brought towels and a coat.

“You are my son and there is nothing that you can say or do to stop that from being true. We must get you inside and cleaned up and throw a feast in your honor.”

They all went back inside and the house was in an uproar as servants and family members worked hard to welcome back the son that was thought to be lost. The party was in full swing, employees and family all rejoiced at the lost man being brought back. Almost the whole family, except for one. The working son that had stayed with his father during his illness.

The worker had made sure to clean up the mess that the partier had made. Every company and stock that he sold, the worker bought for pennies on the dollar and had bought and worked his and his brother’s inheritance. He was still working even now to maintain the vast empire. Even when his father came to his office and pleaded and begged for him to come and see his lost brother, the worker could not do such a thing. The work was never done and events for celebration and joy were as lost and as foreign to him as love is to a boulder.

Such a story was told long ago. In an age past. But within this retelling perhaps a trial unthought of has come to mind. With hope I pray that you seek to know and understand that not all men will party, or work. There are those that will do both and those that find a balance will find joy and seek to find more.

Luke 15:11-32 NIV

Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. [12] The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. [13] “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. [14] After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. [15] So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. [16] He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. [17] “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! [18] I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. [19] I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ [20] So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. [21] “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ [22] “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. [23] Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. [24] For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. [25] “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. [26] So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. [27] ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ [28] “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. [29] But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. [30] But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ [31] “ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. [32] But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”