26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.
Don’t you just hate it when you don’t know what’s going on? I mean, you walk into the room and something is obviously happening, but you stand and watch for a few moments, and you can’t seem to figure it out. Your brain is running through its old files, searching for how the activity you are watching fits in with your known experiences. The search comes up blank. The activity looks similar to several things you have seen in the past, but they get ruled out because of some unusual, unknown elements. In our text today we see this type of dilemma. The older brother returns home to a party. He knows it is a party. He recognizes the music and the loud talking as elements of a celebration, but there were no parties planned when he left for the office that morning. And besides, he didn’t get an invitation to this party that is taking place at his house. So as he approaches the center of activity he asks one of the servants what is happening. The servants drops a bombshell on him: your disrespectful, selfish brother has returned. And not only has he come back into your life, but your father has thrown this party for him. Doesn’t your brother know how much he hurt your father when he decided to leave suddenly and run away? And now there is a party going on in his honor. Your blood pressure begins to rise and your anger starts to go through the roof. It is almost as if this party was being thrown right in your face. It is being thrown by your father just to get you mad. Your brother deserves nothing and your father seems to be giving him everything. You can’t get your mind around it. It doesn’t seem to fit in your nice, neat little boxes. Feeling left out is a powerful emotional experience. So many marriages go through difficult times when one or the other feels left out, feels as though they cannot count on their spouse to ‘be there’ for them. This is what happens when there are emotional and physical affairs. Each party ends up feeling like the other does not connect with them in a way that meets there deep emotional needs. So next time you feel left out, instead of reacting and isolating, jump in and make connection with others in the middle of the uncertainty.
The Arnold Journey 