The Older Brother.

In his story of the prodigal son Jesus also includes another son: the older brother. When the prodigal returns home and is forgiven by his father and given a huge party, the older brother is angry. He doesn't believe his brother deserves a party. The older brother has stayed by his father and worked hard; why should his loser brother have a party?

In the book, "The Life You've Always Wanted,"  John Ortberb writes, "One of the hardest things in the world is to stop being the prodigal son without turning into the elder brother."

Christians can become judgmental and intolerant. This shouldn't happen, but it does far too often. It happened to me when I was in my twenties. For some reason we become proud when God changes us ; we somehow believe we had something to do with becoming good so why can't everyone do the same thing? We forget, or don't realize, that only God is good and any apparent goodness we have is from him alone.

The Bible says our righteousness is "filthy rags". In other words, we don't have any. None at all. We have no right to look down on people no matter what they do. Even Jeffery Dahmer was converted in prison. My mother told me she was watching Bill Maher on TV and he was talking against God and religion. She said she thought, "That man is lost." She said she heard God speak to her heart and say, "No, he isn't." Now, she prays for Bill Maher.

We don't know people's hearts. We don't know how the Spirit is working on that person or how close they are to the kingdom of God. No matter what people do or say, we have no right to be angry at them, hate them or judge them. Sometimes we may fall and do this, but we need to give these feelings and that person to God.