Many of you may remember the old cartoon where the little boy is playing and all of a sudden the little devil with the pitchfork appears on the little boy’s shoulder. The little devil whispers in his ear and tells the kid to do something mean. Then all of a sudden a little angel appears on the other shoulder and says, “No, no” and encourages the child to be good. And so the story goes. At the end of the cartoon the little angel goes over and gives the little devil a kick in the posterior.
Take a look at the poor kid in Luke 15:11-19. Now to start with this kid was probably a good kid. It’s a sure thing he was raised in a good home. Just take a look at how loving his father is. But, as most kids do when they get a little older, they think they know everything. What does he do? He decides he can do better. That’s when he tells his dad he wants his inheritance now. One can only imagine how the discussion went.
Finally the dad relents and lets the kid go. Of course, being the really ‘smart’ kid and having all the answers, he goes as far away as possible. He has money and freedom and he’s on his way. Eager to impress his new ‘friends’ he squanders his fortune and, very soon, winds up with the pigs. He’s hungry and dirty and penniless. That’s when the little angel appears on his shoulder and whispers in his ear. Then the little angel goes over and kicks the little devil. The kid comes to his senses, heads for dad’s place and is ready to eat crow.
Of course, dad has probably been watching from the window and pacing and worrying for months. The last thing on his mind is retribution. It’s a lovely story and one that happens to everyone who has found salvation.
Copies of the sermon are always available and we would love to send you a CD of it. They are free. Call (417) 543-6219 to get a copy. However, if you would rather just pick one up, they are available at Strong’s Watch Shop in Barnes Shopping Center, Ava.
