On Being Good | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: On Being Good | Previous Challenge Entry
By Karen Locklear
04/17/14
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES

There’s this analogy in the Bible about two brothers.

Probably you’ve heard it before. And that’s fine. It won’t kill you to hear it again.

One brother follows rules. He works. He’s committed. Why? It doesn’t say. It just says he’s a policy and procedures type of guy. And that’s fine.

And then he’s got this brother who wakes up one morning and decides he’s entitled to an early inheritance. Which dear old Dad gives him. And he goes off to a far away place, one I’ve always visualized as first century Vegas.

For a while it’s one big freaking party.

And then the money is gone. Just like that.

So after a life choice disaster, this character returns home, hoping for a job feeding his father’s pigs.

Instead, get this, Dad welcomes him back. He throws a party. He’s thrilled because the lost son is now home.

But his brother is not. He won’t enter the party. He’s mad. Because his sense of entitlement resents the display. After all, why should he be rewarded for a show of theater so daring?

I love this analogy because most of us see ourselves as one or the other: the rule follower or the rule breaker. And I’ve always heard this story marginalizing the role of the rule follower.

After all, he’s not the presumptuous one who requested an early inheritance to party down.

And because I know my own faults and shortcomings, I identify with the brother who left. Messing up isn’t a new thing for me.

But the topic of “Googled” brought on the realization that I, indeed, am a combination of the two. And I’m guessing so are you. Let me explain:

When I reach about a six or seven on the “I’m irritated with you” scale, I will Google your name.

Yes, this is childish. And I never find anything. That is, except once.

I worked with a guy who was amazingly cut-throat for someone in a field as limited as education. I’d seen him lie, cheat, and steal first hand to get what he wanted.

And one exceptionally ridiculous afternoon, one in which I had incredible difficulty letting go of, I Googled him.

And this time, the only time, I found something of interest.

Teachers, doctors, and nurses walk a tighter line than the rest of the professional universe. A misstep can cost a license. A career, not just a position, can end in the blink of an eye.

And upon my request for information from the cyber universe there in all its glory was the crime.

Literally.

And then I didn’t know what to do.

They say knowledge is power, but sometimes it’s just downright uncomfortable. I was torn towards my own sense of justice and fearful I made a deal with a cold metal cyber devil. And my brain kept saying “that” perhaps shouldn’t get a second chance. In anything.

See? Just like that I was the rule follower. I was smug. I judged him pretty severely because I didn’t like him.

Had it been anyone else, I’d argued it was stupid. And that he could overcome such a thing. And if he truly had, no one was in danger. Instead, because I didn’t like him, I simmered indignantly, waiting to use the information.

By the way, the window of opportunity never happened. This was disappointing for a while. Now I’m relieved.

Because, honestly, I spend far too much time pretending to be the good one, thinking following rules makes me good. Well, it doesn’t.

In the parable the myth of legalistic rules indicating goodness is shattered as the brother points out, ”this son of yours . . . has squandered your property with prostitutes”.

And the question in return is this: what are you prostituting yourself to get?

And if you are not lost, why didn’t you go and chase after the lost one?

Because on some level, we’re all lost. The ones of us who realize this are far less likely to damage themselves beyond repair. They can be vulnerable. They can accept love because they can show love.

The rest of us, unfortunately, work with a furrowed forehead, squinting at the project ahead of us. We spend far too much time considering things which don’t matter, forgetting one very important fact: God is in control. And if I only trusted Him . . .

PREVIOUS ENTRY | NEXT ENTRY
SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY FOR THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE

The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.

Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.