How Not To Turn Into An Angry Older Brother
Roger Thomas
Luke 15:25-32
Years ago I remember a conversation with some friends who had been part of my college student ministry several years previously. They came to college as newlyweds. Vicki worked part time. Darrel studied hard and received his petroleum engineering degree. When he graduated, he took a good job with an oil company. Shortly afterwards they had their first baby. In the intervening years, they moved a time or two and had a couple more children. They had done well.
When I was in their area, I arranged to pay a visit and catch up. They were raising their family in a lovely home on several beautiful wooded acres in the Ozarks of southwest Missouri. Both were strong in the Lord. Life was good. They had also recently adopted a little boy from inner city Kansas City.
The conversation turned to Cameron, the little one from KC who was about two at the time. To call Cameron a challenge would have been an understatement. His birth mother had been on drugs and alcohol. So the baby suffered some of the after affects. His father was unknown. Cameron was proving to be a hand full.
I asked them if they had any second thoughts about the adoption. I will never forget Vicki's answer. "When we adopted Cameron, we thought we were saving him from Kansas City. Now that he's been with us for a year, we've begun to think we saved Kansas City from Cameron." Then she paused and added, "We always thought God placed Cameron with us because he needed us. Actually, I have begun to think God placed him here because God knew we were the ones who needed Cameron."
Sometimes when church folk like us read the Parable of the Prodigal Son, we smile and think warm thoughts about those lost strays who come home. Jesus' story warns them about the dangers of the far country and encourages them to come home sooner rather than later. Isn't that nice? But then we read the rest of the story. We find out "th ...
Roger Thomas
Luke 15:25-32
Years ago I remember a conversation with some friends who had been part of my college student ministry several years previously. They came to college as newlyweds. Vicki worked part time. Darrel studied hard and received his petroleum engineering degree. When he graduated, he took a good job with an oil company. Shortly afterwards they had their first baby. In the intervening years, they moved a time or two and had a couple more children. They had done well.
When I was in their area, I arranged to pay a visit and catch up. They were raising their family in a lovely home on several beautiful wooded acres in the Ozarks of southwest Missouri. Both were strong in the Lord. Life was good. They had also recently adopted a little boy from inner city Kansas City.
The conversation turned to Cameron, the little one from KC who was about two at the time. To call Cameron a challenge would have been an understatement. His birth mother had been on drugs and alcohol. So the baby suffered some of the after affects. His father was unknown. Cameron was proving to be a hand full.
I asked them if they had any second thoughts about the adoption. I will never forget Vicki's answer. "When we adopted Cameron, we thought we were saving him from Kansas City. Now that he's been with us for a year, we've begun to think we saved Kansas City from Cameron." Then she paused and added, "We always thought God placed Cameron with us because he needed us. Actually, I have begun to think God placed him here because God knew we were the ones who needed Cameron."
Sometimes when church folk like us read the Parable of the Prodigal Son, we smile and think warm thoughts about those lost strays who come home. Jesus' story warns them about the dangers of the far country and encourages them to come home sooner rather than later. Isn't that nice? But then we read the rest of the story. We find out "th ...
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