Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’ (Luke 15:28-30)
We are to work as if we're working for the Lord, and not for men, not to receive a reward from them, but to receive an eternal reward from God. (Ephesians 6:7; Colossians 3:23) The older son in the "Prodical Son" parable was upset because he had stayed with the father and done what was expected of him, but felt that he did not receive what he deserved. While the yougest son ran off and wasted his life, but when he came back home, was treated so special. A sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones. (Proverbs 14:30); Do not let your heart envy sinners, but be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day; (Proverbs 23:17) Zealous means to have a strong devotion and commitment to someone or something, an unreasoning allegiance to a person, cause, or ideal. This is how we are supposed to feel about our relationship with God and all that we do for Him by His power. We should not be motivated soley by a desire to receive rewards and acknowledgements, eventhough we will, either here or in eternity. (Matthew 6:1-4)
Jesus shows clearly in the "Prodigal Son" parable that the oldest son, eventhough he did all that was required and expected of him, he did not do it for the right reasons. Jesus explains this even more clearly in the following parable, that our motives have to be sincere: Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ (Luke 18:9-13)
It's so sad that the Pharisee followed all the laws and commandments of God, but his prayers didn't go any further than the roof of the temple. But the despised tax collector's prayers went to heaven to God, because he was sincere and repentant. He knew he couldn't do anything to deserve God's forgiveness. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. (Romans 3:27-30) Come as you are, and let God lead you! It will be worth it for eternity!
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