FRIDAY - 15TH MARCH, 2024
MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - Olusola ADEJUMO
REBELLION OF THE RIGHTEOUS! - Does Good Pays Series 002?
Read Malachi 3:13-18; Luke 15:11-32
Malachi 3:13, KJV
"Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?"
It may eventually become inevitable but for the righteous to join the unrighteous; the obedient becoming disobedient when there's no clear cut rewarding and punishment system admnistering justice to the deeds of both the righteous and wicked. It is for this the elder sibling of the prodigal son calls the father's attention. He'd said to him, "all this while that I've been with thee, yet you've never given me even a kid to celebrate with my friend but when this waster son of yours came, you killed for him the fatted calf" (Lk.15:28-30). Forget the fact that he's beginning to be legalistic; yet he has spoken very wisely. He has a point. What he's requesting of his father is a distinction to be put between himself - an obedient son who has continued with the father till now and his younger brother - one who has wasted the father's resources and love, giving it to prostitutes. I want to ask you, "should there not be a distinction or clear cut mark of treatment between the obedient/disobedient children in our homes or the law abiders/non abiders in our society amidst the citenzenry?" There should be because when there's none, you'll be tampering with the justness of the righteous, telling them it doesn't pay to do good or abide by the law. If your second son sees that his elder brother gets away with all his disobedience act, do you think he'll act obediently? No! He'll also begin to defy you. This way, you'll have changed an obedient son into a rogue because you were too weak to enforce your parenthood. However, if you make obedience look lucrative and rewarding, he'll continue to do good. That's why I can tell you first hand that it is the society by its laws that either promotes crookedness or righteousness. If judgement is not delayed for the offenders, then no one will want to disobey.
In truth, if you'll look at the response of the father to this elder boy's accusation, the father does put a distinction between himself and his wasteful younger brother. Many times, when people tell the story of the prodigal son, they always superimpose the disobedience of the younger brother on the obedience of his elder brother. As a matter of fact, the message they pass is that it is good to backslide because at one's return, you'd be received in fanfare. That's true as there's much joy in heaven and even on earth over one sinner that repents. However, you must know that God cherishes His saints and those who have always continued with Him in His house above those who go and come. Who will you reward as a boss between a disloyal and loyal workers of yours who sticked all through with you? Likewise, the father (symbolic of God in this narrative) gives each of the siblings the reward that fits their deeds to him. What he said to the elder brother encourages obedience and commitment to him and warns us that the disobedient and rebel of a child won't receive like the perfect abider. How did I know they didn't have equal reward? The father said it himself when he consoled the elder sibling saying, "you're ever with me. It is meet we celebrate your lost but found brother. However, all I have is yours" (Lk.15:31-32). Did you read that in your Bible at all? Did you observe God didn't put that returnee sibling and sinner over his brother even after he had been forgiven and received back? God rewards obedience more than disobedience or backsliding? God knows those who have painstakingly followed Him. He doesn't forget our work and labour of love in that we have ministered to the saints and in which we still minister (Heb.6:10). That's why their father could tell the obedient sibling who had lived all his life in the house doing his will that "all he has is his." It means both the returnee brother and even the father would live and survive from then on the share of goods that belongs to the elder sibling only. We know that the younger brother collected his own when he requested for his share of their father's goods at the very beginning. So, what is totally left now is the elder brother's and that's what the whole family will live on. As a matter of fact, the younger sibling is at the mercy of his elder sibling from that time henceforth.
So, looking at this story, we could learn some morals. One, obedient citizens and children in the house would feel cheated and challenge the existing system if they felt they are being unfairly treated. That's why the elder sibling in this narrative challenged his father for not for once rewarding his obedience and ever presence with him in the family business. Another lesson is that the obedient might backslide or stop the working of righteousness if they don't see or are not assured of a clear cut distinction being put between they and the disobedient. Also, we learnt how important it is for the government, parents and all who upholds the law to ensure that there's a clear cut system and law rewarding the righteous/obedient and punishing the disobedient/offenders. This way, no righteous citizen would feel communicated to or forced to switch into unrighteousness. As such, there won't be accusation, speaking against and daring of the authority or challenging it as we have in these verses of the Bible where the righteous kicked hard against God for His supposed injustice to them. Rebellion happens when people feel cheated and it is not addressed you know. May we have a just system that no citizen can fault. May we have justice in our homes so much more that the righteous children won't be able to challenge or stout their words against their parents. May our nation and that of the world put a distinction between law abiders and defaulters so that those working righteousness won't call it a bullshit and let their obedience fly off, resulting into this verse below.
"It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?" (Malachi 3:14, KJV).
Imagine how guilty you will look if your own child poses this statement to you because you've been hypocritical in acknowledging the obedient different from the disobedient at the home level where they co-exist. Yet, that's the exact words of many citizenry to their government nowdays. It's on the same ground such citizens even change their minds from doing good into fellowing to do evil. Why? They saw it doesn't pay to do any good at all. May we not by ourselves create a dummy system that takes effort, righteousness and obedience of people for granted. May we be just and wise leaders always encouraging the obedient to do more and the disobedient to repent.
PRAYER: Father, help us to create a system where no sinner/offender goes unpunished and where no obedient goes unrewarded.
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Numbers 21:1-22:20, Luke 1:26-56, Psalm 57:1-11, Proverbs 11:9-11
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