With Hog Days on the horizon, I have been thinking about Bible stories that include pigs. One of my favorites is found in Luke 15.
Luke 15: 11-32 NLT
11 To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So, his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.
“A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.
“When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’
“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’
“But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So, the party began.
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, and he asked one of the servants what was going on. ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’
“The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’
“His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”
This story in Luke 15 is often referred to as the story of the prodigal son. However, the story is not just about the younger son who runs from home, wastefully spends his inheritance, and ends up in the pigpen so hungry he wants to eat slop. The story is also about the older son who is far from home in his heart and the compassionate love of the father toward both his sons.
After asking and receiving his inheritance before his father even died, the young son left home. Day after day, his father went out and waited for his son to come home. One day, he finally sees his lost son coming home from a long way off. The father ran and kissed his son. He welcomes him home. They celebrated because this son who was lost or as good as dead returned home. The son had squandered away his inheritance in “wild living.” Yet, his father welcomed him home again with open arms.
Meanwhile, the older son had stayed close to home and worked hard, but this son had wandered far from home in his heart. Day after day, the older son had access to his father’s love, but the son did not recognize or see the gift of love that was right in front of him all along. His heart had grown hard. He showed bitterness when his brother returned home instead of celebrating and rejoicing.
The father had compassion on both of his sons. His love was extended to both of them. It was up to them to accept the love that had been extended.
Like the compassionate father, God welcomes us home again despite the pigpen of sin we have been in. God’s compassionate love longs for us to return home to Him.
Where do you find yourself in this story?
Do you relate to the younger son, the older son or the father in some way?
Rev. Haley Hausman
Pastor of First United Methodist Church, Kewanee
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of The Kewanee Voice.
***This column is sponsored by the Kewanee Ministerial Association
