In the same way that Jesus spoke about the celebration when the shepherd found his lost sheep, so He goes on to describe the joy of the woman who found her lost coin. Then He tells this parable of the young son who asked his father for his inheritance, went to a far land and blew the lot on fine living. Forced to do the menial work of a pig-herder, he realised he would be better off if he went home and worked for his father. So he travelled home. His father saw him coming and ran to greet him, throwing a feast for him in his delight that his son had returned. The older brother was fed up and grumbled. Jesus ended his story with the father’s response to the brother who had stayed at home:

‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 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.’ Luke 15:31-32

Today you are invited to consider how you feel when those around you who have been resisting Jesus suddenly turn to Him, accept Him as Lord and are obviously blessed by Him. Are the thoughts and feelings you have pure, or do you hide a hint of resentment? How do you feel when someone who has only just begun to follow Jesus is blessed with the ministry you have wanted, or the gifts you long for, or in any other way that seems to have missed you? What will you say to Jesus as you consider these things? What does He reply? How will you respond as a result of this conversation with Him?

May God bless you with a generous heart, a sense of delight at the blessings of others, and a desire to encourage and support them in the way they have been called to serve Him, just as you serve in the way He has called you to serve Him too.