Continuing from Yesterday’s Post and the book “Take Your Love to Your Family and your Frustrations to the Lord” Dr. John L. Lund & Bonnie Lund write:
In our opinion, a better title for his parable would be “The parable of the loving father.” The real hero in this parable is the father, who demonstrates his love for both sons. How many hours did that father spend looking at the distant horizon, hoping that his lost son would return? How many prayers left the heart of that father and found a listening ear and the caring heart of our Heavenly Father? Without question, there were quite a few. When the prodigal son was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck and kissed him” (Luke 15:20). The father’s attitude was not one of “I told you so.” Rather, the love of the father motivated him to kill the fatted calf, bring forth the best robe, and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet.
When the elder brother saw his father’s generosity, he refused to come to the welcome-home party for his brother. The focus of the older son was the money, the evil choices his brother had made and the fact that his brother had squandered this inheritance on wicked and riotous living. The scripture recorded that a loving father reached out to his eldest son as well and confirmed his love for him: “Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine” (Luke 15:31). The eldest son lost nothing in his inheritance because of the poor choices of his brother. A robe, a ring, and a pair of shoes, and the fatted calf were all the inheritance the youngest son received, and those things were within the purview of a loving father to give.
As correct as they may have been, all criticisms of the elder brother did not bring about changes in the younger brother. The prodigal son was not inspired to come home to a critical brother. The love of his father was what drew the prodigal son home, attracting him like a magnet to his father’s heart and home.
The Greatest Motivator
There are three classic motivators: fear, reward, and love. Without question the greatest motivator is love. There is something in each of us that gravitates toward love. It is our firm belief that no one other than the sons of predition can resist the power of God’s infinite love forever. Sooner or later everyone will be drawn by the pure love of Christ. Every knee will voluntarily bow and every tongue will swear that Jesus is the Christ (see Isaiah 45:23). It would be contrary to the laws for God to force people to bow the knee. God respects agency. This means that at some point prior to our resurrection, each of us will willingly conform our behaviors to heavenly principles.
As human beings, we have certain fundamental needs that must be met if we are to stay alive. They include, among others, air, food, and water. Next, as children of God, we have a fundamental need for love and belonging. Our Heavenly Father’s love is the most important source of love for each of us, something that is true even if we are not consciously aware of it now.
We believe that there is a deep, subliminal desire for each of us to return to our heavenly home and feel our Heavenly Fathers’s love and acceptance. God’s love through the Atonement of His Son Jesus Christ already vibrates like a tuning fork within each of our souls, calling us home. Sometimes before we can believe that a God can love us we need to be convinced that we are worthy of being loved by someone. What if you are that someone else? ~~Dr. John L. Lund & Bonnie, “Take Love to Your Family and your Frustrations to the Lord” (American Fork: UT Covenant Communications, 2020) p.3-4
