Sharing is Caring

“Sharing is caring” is a phrase I have heard since I was in preschool and it is one we still use today. Recently, while teaching at one of our preschool chapel times, I used this exact phrase with our preschoolers. I asked them what they thought that meant. One of the students said that sharing means you love people, but that they don’t like to share with their younger brother because he is mean. So I followed up with them by asking if we should only share with people who are nice to us? They of course said, “no”, but they were still not happy about it.

I am surprised how often we place conditions on sharing with others. We often question how someone will use the gift we give or if they are even deserving of it. Would you be willing to help someone out in need if you knew they would make a poor decision with your gracious gift? A gracious gift that comes with conditions is not gracious. Grace, as Christians understand it, is the free and unmerited love of God bestowed upon us. God wants us to do good with the blessings and love he bestows upon us, but does not place conditions upon it. To describe this, Jesus shared with the pharisees the Parable of the Prodigal Son, which you can find in Luke 15:11-32.

And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.  And he answering said to 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: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

Luke 15:11-32

In the parable, the wonderful forgiving father represents God. By telling this story, Jesus emphasizes how eager God is to forgive us. He doesn’t demand a pound of flesh from us. He doesn’t make the way to forgiveness a long and painful process. God’s love is gracious and free! This is how we should share with our neighbor, love without expectation! Join us this Sunday for worship at 8:30 or 10:45 AM as we discuss how we will love our neighbors by sharing.

in God’s grip,

Pastor Chuck Church