“YOU KILL THE FATTENED CALF FOR HIM !”
Luke 15:1-3 & 11b-32:

Strange and unacceptable decision! “Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet YOU NEVER GAVE ME EVEN A YOUNG GOAT SO I COULD CELEBRATE WITH MY FRIENDS. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, YOU KILL THE FATTENED CALF FOR HIM”(Luke 15:29-30, NIV). In other words, You also allow me to do as my brother did. You encourage me to also squander your property with prostitutes and come back and be blessed by YOU…because you confirm that YOU ARE NO LONGER MY FATHER BUT THE FATHER OF THOSE WHO SQUANDER YOUR PROPERTY WITH PROSTITUTES !

Early in Old Testament times, Prophet Isaiah proclaimed and wrote these moving words he heard God speaking: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways”, declares the Lord.” (Isaiah 55:8, NIV). This is what the Parable of the Lost Son has always taught me. Of course we have used it many times as an extremely effective tool for evangelism when encouraging sinners to repent and return to God. But here it bears some other Great Truth we need to know.

I always tell my congregation in Gitega that we should be cautious in everything we plan for in our lives or in the many desires that fill our thoughts in this world. For THE LAST DECISION ALWAYS BELONGS TO GOD ALMIGHTY. WE NEVER KNOW WHAT HIS GREAT LOVE WILL DECIDE TO DO IN SUCH OR SUCH OTHER SITUATION. We never know what He will do with the ones we reject or those we have sentenced to death or to imprisonment. We never know what He will say about the prostitute we refuse to talk to in the streets nor to the gangsters and the terrorists who surround us. What about this tale?

A fish and a monkey were friends. They used to meet at the shore of the lake and share stories from their different environments. One day, the fish told his friend: “O my friend monkey, could you organize a trip for me to come and see where you live? As I hear you speak, it seems that you live in a paradise!” The monkey answered: “Ooooh, yes, you are welcome to visit the kingdom of the monkeys where we have plenty of food and live peacefully.” So the day came and the monkey took the fish to the forest where it lived with many other monkeys, at “the Monkeys’ village”. A big meal and plenty of beer had been made ready and everyone was eating and drinking and dancing. The fish enjoyed everything and promised to also organize a trip to take the monkey to the“Fishes’ village” under the waters. When the day came, the fish was at the shore and asked the monkey to get on its back. The fish swam and swam and when it reached a long distance from the shore, it said: “Oh, dear friend, monkey, I am so lucky, you know! Our king is very, very sick and the witch doctor said that the unique treatment he needed was a monkey’s heart meat. Now, hold my back strongly, because I’m going to get under the waters and reach my village.

The monkey replied immediately and said: “O, dear friend, wait, wait! Why didn’t you tell me earlier that you needed my heart to heal your king? I didn’t bring it with me, I left it at home! So take me back to the shore and I’ll run quickly back home and bring my heart with me. It won’t take long.” The fish trusted the monkey and returned to the shore. The monkey jumped and climbed a big tree and laughing it said: “Stupid! Who told you that monkeys can move without having a heart ? You thought you had got me but from now on Know that You Can Do Nothing Against Any Creature Unless Our Creator Allows You To.

You and I would have certainly reacted just like the older son and ask the father “To simply rebuke the youngest repenting son who had returned back home and no longer grant him whatever blessing but send him out as a rebel.” That’s men reacting way in a world where Love is no longer prevailing. What if the International Community could review some of its so horrible “Decisions and Sanctions” towards some nations that it considers as being the stupid prodigal son? Don’t you think this would be a NEW way to building NEW bridges for PEACE? Change your mind and send them a fattened calf as a symbol of LOVE!

In Christ’s Love,

Bishop, Dr. Justin Baransananikiye
President,
CHRISTIANS STRENGTHENING CHRISTIANS
http://iprayforyou.worthyofpraise.org
http://christiansstrengtheningchristian.doodlekit.com/blog