"All That I Have is Thine"

I love the parable of the Prodigal Son. I always love hearing this story and remembering that no matter what we do our Heavenly Father and His Son will always love us and long for us to return to them. It is so hopeful!

However, by the end of reading the parable, I find myself relating to the elder brother all too well. Have you ever had moments in your life when you feel like you have been out in the field working hard all day long and as you draw nearer to the house you recognize a celebration is going on?

My first thought when I study this parable almost always is "why didn't anybody go tell the brother!?" If I was him I would have stormed in and yelled, "Thanks for inviting me!" and then stormed back out.

Come to find out the party is for his brother who has devoured all of his inheritance with harlots. Something inside of me (we'll call it the "natural man"--Mosiah 3:19) just really screams that is so unfair. I feel the brother is so justified as he tells his father, "Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment; and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends" (Luke 15: 11-32.) While I was studying this I stopped and pondered for a moment about the situations in my life where I have been able to put myself in this brother's shoes. I didn't really get to think about this for very long because a piercing question was brought to my memory and very clearly I could hear:

"Why should you choose to be jealous because I choose to be kind?"

I pulled out the talk and Elder Holland continues, " Brothers and sisters, there are going to be times in our lives when someone else gets an unexpected blessing or receives some special recognition. May I plead with us not to be hurt--and certainly not to feel envious--when good fortune comes to another person? We are not diminished when someone else is added upon. We are not in a race against each other to see who is the wealthiest or the most talented or the most beautiful or even the most blessed. The race we are really in is the race against sin."  The Laborers in the Vineyard

Sometimes I really appreciate those spiritual slaps in the face where I am chastened and very clearly can see that I am in the wrong and need to repent. Perhaps I enjoy them so much because of what usually follows--an increase of love.

"Son, thou art ever with me,and all that I have is thine." (Luke 15: 11-32.)

Just as piercing as that soul-searching question was, that statement by the father was equally piercing to my heart. I know that we have a loving, merciful and just Heavenly Father and we should be so grateful that He is kind. We are each worth so much to Him and that worth is not influenced or changed based on the successes or failures, or the gifts and talents of anybody else.

I testify that as we daily and consistently strive to follow our Savior Jesus Christ we will become more like Him. We will feel joy when we see the successes of others and even greater joy in helping them become successful in this race against sin.

I love Chapter 6 in Preach My Gospel. This week I have decided to work on the attribute of charity. I really desire to develop a deeper, more pure love for all of the people I work with. Will you choose one attribute that you want to improve in your life, study it, and then live it?

I know it will bless each of you and your consistent efforts will make a dramatic difference. Preach My Gospel-Christlike Attributes

The Other Prodigal by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland