We know why we need mercy. But can we rejoice when someone else receives it? In Luke, people complain because Jesus welcomes sinners. Their question is about His company. His answer asks them to look at their own hearts.
Jesus tells of a father with two sons. The younger son has wasted what he received and comes home in need. His father welcomes him with celebration. But the older brother stays outside. He has been near his father, yet he struggles to share his father's joy. The father's welcome exposes resentment as well as failure.
Luke invites us to consider both sons. Where do we need to return honestly? And whose return have we found difficult to celebrate? Mercy calls us to repentance and changes how we regard others. We can listen, offer welcome, and make room for restored relationships. Sound judgment still matters. But contempt should not become our response to someone else's need for grace. There may be someone whose restoration we need to learn to celebrate.
Subscribe for daily Shorts like this, and you can watch the full message on Luke, linked below, to go deeper.