Friday, July 17, 2015

 My school assignment is to pick two out of five endings for the Prodigal Son and expand on two of them. This is one and I still have to do another. It has been hard. It was different finishing what felt like the "Lords Work".

Luke 15

11 ¶And he said, A certain man had two sons:

 12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

 13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

 14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

 15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

 16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

 17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

 20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

 22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

 23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:

 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

 25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

 26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

 27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

 28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him.

 29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

 30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

 31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

 32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

"Father, I fear he will bring his bad reputation upon us and we will suffer from it with our merchants,” said the older brother.  "Our years of hard work and personal integrity are what people remember, Son," Father replied in a voice mixed with sternness and pleading to let this subject go.
"Father, you don't treat him like the other workers," the elder son said exasperated, "he has the jobs we save for the older men.”  “Son, I am in charge and set the work load for each. I retain that right. I don't use jobs as punishment or social order. I give your younger brother tasks that will help him one day when I am gone and you’re in charge; the talents to please you or another employer, skills beyond heavy labor.”
In the distance the younger brother had just finished putting the mill grinding oxen away for the evening and was headed toward his father and brother. As he closed in on them he gave a jubilant accounting saying, "The oxen are bedded down and I noticed one of the older sows is starting to give birth, do I need to sit with her?”
At the same moment father and the elder son answered, the father saying "No, I will get someone," and the older brother saying "Yes.” The younger brother looked from one to the other. The father, frustrated, said, "Your older brother will.”
Hours before the sun came up the father lit a lantern and headed out to the pig sty. "Son, do you need anything? How is she doing?" he asked in a hushed voice as he approached. "She has had six and working on one right now," the eldest son answered as they fell silent again.
After watching the sow push out number seven, the eldest son said, "Father, earlier you said you don't use jobs as punishment. Why am I here?" Father put one hand on his son’s shoulder as he spoke in an almost whisper to draw his elder son’s attention in. "Son, your brother lost all. He succumbed to the thought of such shame that he tried to live with the pigs. Willing to eat and live with them. He is truly humbled and willing to be a faithful servant. I sent you out here to remind you how even one night can be unwelcoming, overwhelming. As you finish the job please consider your brother’s trial and not yours."
Father returned to the house hoping for peace to return once again to his home.
The sun rose to dawn a beautiful morning. As the family gathered for prayer and breakfast the older son entered while drying his hands, quickly walked toward his younger brother and in one swift move gathered him in his arms and said, "I love you my dear brother, forgive me I beg of you. The pigs have humbled me also."
https://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/the-prodigal-son?lang=eng



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