Special Verse: Luke 15:31
“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.’”
Reflection
Every child of God will, at different points in life, relate to either the younger son or the older son in Jesus’ parable.
The younger son knew something profound about his father’s heart:
He understood that once a son, always a son.
Even after wasting his inheritance through reckless living, he had the boldness to return home because he knew his father’s goodness had not changed. And when he arrived—broken, ashamed, and empty—he did not reject the father’s love. He didn’t push away the robe, the ring, or the celebration. He received everything, not because he earned it, but because he knew he still belonged.
Many of us struggle here. We let guilt convince us that we’re unworthy of forgiveness, joy, or restoration. But like the younger son, we must learn to accept the Father’s love exactly as He gives it—freely and fully.
But then there’s the older brother.
He never left home. He never squandered anything. He worked hard and obeyed outwardly—yet internally, he lived like a slave, not a son. He believed he had to earn his father’s favor, earn his blessings, and prove his worth.
So when grace was lavished on his undeserving brother, he became offended. Why? Because he did not understand the heart of his father. He did not realize that everything he labored for was already his—not because of work, but because of relationships.
A Heart Check
Which son do you resemble today?
Do you secretly feel resentful when others—who seem less committed, less “faithful,” or less spiritual—receive blessings, breakthroughs, or answered prayers?
Do you feel you must “qualify” for God’s goodness?
Do you measure God’s love by your performance?
Remember this truth:
In the Kingdom of God, inheritance is given by birth, not earned by work.
Everything the Father has belongs to His children because of grace—not effort.
Good works matter, but they are a response to His love, not the door that opens His blessings. We serve, give, and obey because we are sons and daughters, not slaves trying to earn approval.
Prayer
Father, help me to live as your beloved child. I reject every mindset of striving, earning, and proving myself. Teach me to rest in Your grace and receive all that You have freely given. Let my works be an expression of gratitude, not an attempt to qualify for what is already mine. In Jesus name, Amen.