Settling for Less
It’s time to admit the truth. Many people would say (unconvincingly) that sin is not enjoyable. This would be their well-meaning attempt to discourage people from giving in to temptation. If that was true, then sin would have no appeal to anyone, and would provide no effective temptation. No, if these demons are to be beaten, we must confront them face-to-face. Yes, sin is enjoyable. The pleasure of lust and sexual immorality, the easy escape of a lie, the ego-boosting delight of pride, the relief of anger and rage, the pleasures of our addictions, just to name a few.
You see, there exists a hunger needed to be filled, so we seek out those that can fill in that hunger. I am reminded of the story of the Prodigal Son, whom after leaving his father, set out on his own and eventually “…he began to be in need” (Luke 15:14). It got so bad that, “He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating…” (Luke 15:16) What a terrible longing! Can you imagine that? How pathetic to long for such things! But that’s the effect of hunger when you’re apart from the Father. You will long for something, anything to fill in that hunger. We seek to fill that hunger with anything our world, far from the father, can offer us. And there is relief in the pathetic things the world has to offer. But when looked at objectively, we will be able to deduce that such temporary and pathetic enjoyment is no match to the joy and contentment that we can receive from God. And that’s what I would like to emphasize. There is enjoyment in sin. But it is pathetic when compared to what the Father can give.
Going back to the parable of the Prodigal Son. What did he do? The same thing we should do. “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 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…” (Luke 15:17-20)
Right now in your life you may be enjoying some things which are not in accordance to God’s will. Yes, you certainly are having fun with it, but you must realize, you are just settling for less. You’re no better than the prodigal son who longed to eat food that was fit to be eaten only by pigs. And yet, you crave for it. You do not deprive yourself of it. And just like the prodigal son, it is pathetic. Enjoying pig food. And craving for more. Not content with one kind, so you seek out other kinds. But still essentially pig food.
But there must be a change. A realization. As the Bible described the prodigal son, “…he came to his senses…” (Luke 15:17). He finally realized something. He finally realized that his situation is pitiable… but does not have to be so.
He realized that so many of his father’s servants have more than enough. Luke 15:17 says “…my father’s servants have food to spare…” Do you know anybody who is a Christian? And I’m not talking about religion or merely performing the gestures and stuff Christians do. I mean, real Christians. You’ll know they’re real Christians when you can see the joy in their hearts which transcends their soul and whole being; I mean you can see it radiate from them, figuratively speaking. They are not easily swayed by problems or circumstances, they are not easily stressed out, but rather they are calm and collected, confident in God’s greater power. They are content with God’s blessings, even more so. They are no longer in need. In fact, they are overflowing with what truly is important. That’s what it really means to be with the Father. We have heaven to look forward to, but we’re overflowing with everything important right now.
So seeing that, the prodigal son wanted to go back to his father even if it means that he will only be a mere servant. That would be enough. It would actually be more than enough, more than he deserved.
But it didn’t end there. He did something very important after that realization. He did something about it. “So he got up and went to his father…” (Luke 15:20). Mere realization isn’t enough. That would simply be head-knowledge which is not as useful if not applied. Something must be done. He took actual steps to go back to the Father.
Feeling empty? Dissatisfied with what the world has to offer? Finally realized how pathetic everything is? You see, the parable of the prodigal son is our story. We have wasted our lives on filling ourselves with pitiable things, but now we must come to the realization: that it’s not worth it to settle for less. God’s servants have more than enough; we need not hunger anymore and fill ourselves with disgraceful, shameful, worthless things.
The prodigal son confessed and repented from his errors (Luke 15:21). And even before speaking a word, the father ran to greet him with eager and open arms. (Luke 15:20-24).
And although the prodigal son came back asking to be a mere servant of his father, the father gave him so much more. He did not treat him as a servant. He treated him as His son; because he loved him so much, what was important was just he was back with Him. The father said, “ ‘For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is now found.’ So they began to celebrate.” (Luke 15:24)
We can always go back to the Father, with a heart of a servant, and rest assured he will be more than happy to have us back with Him, to become His sons and daughters again, to have more than what we’ll ever really need. And we don’t have to settle for anything less.
- A. L. E. -
Originally written: 2004, August 9, 11:11 pm
You see, there exists a hunger needed to be filled, so we seek out those that can fill in that hunger. I am reminded of the story of the Prodigal Son, whom after leaving his father, set out on his own and eventually “…he began to be in need” (Luke 15:14). It got so bad that, “He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating…” (Luke 15:16) What a terrible longing! Can you imagine that? How pathetic to long for such things! But that’s the effect of hunger when you’re apart from the Father. You will long for something, anything to fill in that hunger. We seek to fill that hunger with anything our world, far from the father, can offer us. And there is relief in the pathetic things the world has to offer. But when looked at objectively, we will be able to deduce that such temporary and pathetic enjoyment is no match to the joy and contentment that we can receive from God. And that’s what I would like to emphasize. There is enjoyment in sin. But it is pathetic when compared to what the Father can give.
Going back to the parable of the Prodigal Son. What did he do? The same thing we should do. “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 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…” (Luke 15:17-20)
Right now in your life you may be enjoying some things which are not in accordance to God’s will. Yes, you certainly are having fun with it, but you must realize, you are just settling for less. You’re no better than the prodigal son who longed to eat food that was fit to be eaten only by pigs. And yet, you crave for it. You do not deprive yourself of it. And just like the prodigal son, it is pathetic. Enjoying pig food. And craving for more. Not content with one kind, so you seek out other kinds. But still essentially pig food.
But there must be a change. A realization. As the Bible described the prodigal son, “…he came to his senses…” (Luke 15:17). He finally realized something. He finally realized that his situation is pitiable… but does not have to be so.
He realized that so many of his father’s servants have more than enough. Luke 15:17 says “…my father’s servants have food to spare…” Do you know anybody who is a Christian? And I’m not talking about religion or merely performing the gestures and stuff Christians do. I mean, real Christians. You’ll know they’re real Christians when you can see the joy in their hearts which transcends their soul and whole being; I mean you can see it radiate from them, figuratively speaking. They are not easily swayed by problems or circumstances, they are not easily stressed out, but rather they are calm and collected, confident in God’s greater power. They are content with God’s blessings, even more so. They are no longer in need. In fact, they are overflowing with what truly is important. That’s what it really means to be with the Father. We have heaven to look forward to, but we’re overflowing with everything important right now.
So seeing that, the prodigal son wanted to go back to his father even if it means that he will only be a mere servant. That would be enough. It would actually be more than enough, more than he deserved.
But it didn’t end there. He did something very important after that realization. He did something about it. “So he got up and went to his father…” (Luke 15:20). Mere realization isn’t enough. That would simply be head-knowledge which is not as useful if not applied. Something must be done. He took actual steps to go back to the Father.
Feeling empty? Dissatisfied with what the world has to offer? Finally realized how pathetic everything is? You see, the parable of the prodigal son is our story. We have wasted our lives on filling ourselves with pitiable things, but now we must come to the realization: that it’s not worth it to settle for less. God’s servants have more than enough; we need not hunger anymore and fill ourselves with disgraceful, shameful, worthless things.
The prodigal son confessed and repented from his errors (Luke 15:21). And even before speaking a word, the father ran to greet him with eager and open arms. (Luke 15:20-24).
And although the prodigal son came back asking to be a mere servant of his father, the father gave him so much more. He did not treat him as a servant. He treated him as His son; because he loved him so much, what was important was just he was back with Him. The father said, “ ‘For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is now found.’ So they began to celebrate.” (Luke 15:24)
We can always go back to the Father, with a heart of a servant, and rest assured he will be more than happy to have us back with Him, to become His sons and daughters again, to have more than what we’ll ever really need. And we don’t have to settle for anything less.
- A. L. E. -
Originally written: 2004, August 9, 11:11 pm
