Neither

I have this organic love for homeless alcoholics. See yesterday's post for more on that.

I think a lot of Salvationists have an organic love for homeless alcoholics. We are known for our good deeds for the poor, and we welcome the marginalized into our congregations. We are more comfortable around depravity than your average Christian.

A lot of Salvationists are called to the prodigal sons of the world. We rejoice when we read that Jesus hung out with prostitutes and drunkards, because we do too! Yup, we're like Jesus. We want to reach out to the rebels and the sinners.

I guess there are sinners all around us though, too. What about the big brother of the prodigal son? He lived in his father's house the whole time, but he didn't appreciate the house or the father. The older brother was just as lost as the younger.

The older brother represents the religious people who think they are fine, who think they deserve special treatment, but who don't know the Father.

Sometimes those older brothers can feel like our enemies. They are like "the man" or "the system" that we are trying to be free from.

"Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.”" (Joshua 5:13-14)

So the older brother is just as lost as the younger brother,
and the Lord is on neither our side, nor our enemies' side?

Then we all need grace.