Lost & Found

Al Gore didn’t invent it, but the Internet is a wonderful tool. And with the help of some of the search engines used on the web, I found my brother.

It’s not that he was lost, but we’d lost touch with each other—for more than a decade. As life turns out, we’ve both escaped death and we’ve both enjoyed some amazing success. We’ve also both experienced our share of tragedy. And both of us have come home to God.

I’ve often seen myself in the role of the prodigal, and while I am older than my brother, I want to avoid becoming the elder brother in the familiar story that Jesus told about two brothers and their father.

In what many people consider to be a parable, but I believe is a true story, the elder brother reacts to the good news of his brother’s return with disdain. We never see him overcome his reaction though the father pleads with him to join the celebration in honor of his sibling. Instead, he charges his father with playing favorites and never giving him what he deserves.

I know better than to make that claim. Indeed, I never want God to give me what I deserve; I always want him to bestow what cannot be earned.

Regarding my brother, it seems we both identify with the prodigal son and we both love our heavenly father. I hope neither of us ever sees the other in the role of the ungrateful brother. Rather, it seems we both want to celebrate our mutual good fortune and rejoice with each other.

We were lost, but now we’re found.


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