The Two Disobediences

by Keith Gardner

We are all familiar with the story of the prodigal son as found in Luke 15:11-32.

Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him." The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate. "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. "Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.' "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!' "'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'"

This is an important story and is a key to proper kingdom living. There are two brothers; these two brothers represent how we tend to live as believers if we are not mindful. The father is God; he is our Heavenly Father. The sons are the father’s children, sons of God, or believers. The first son was given his blessings. He used his blessings as he pleased to indulge himself. He squandered his blessings until they were all gone. What a shame. God never intends us to indulge in his blessings; they are always met to be shared with others. This is disobedience number one; let’s call it self-indulgence.

The second son lived in the mist of the blessing. He was always in the Father’s presents, always surrounded by the Father’s blessings. Nevertheless, those blessings were never appropriated. The son never took the time to understand he could just pick the blessings up and use them as the Father intended. How very unfortunate. What are the blessings that God lays out before us yet we never bother to pick them up, we never use them, never share them with others. This is disobedience number two; let’s call this one slothfulness.