Unbelievable Grace

This morning I've been thinking about the Parable of the Father and his two sons -- we often call it the Prodigal Son Parable, but it's more than that, don't you think?

Consider for a moment what the younger son asks the father to do.  "Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me."  (Luke 15:12)  What kind of property?  Don't you imagine that much of what the father owned was land?  And in order to give the younger son half of what he owns, he must sell at least some of the land.  I imagine, although I don't know, that this property has passed through generations in order for the father to own it.  So, what does this mean for the father?  In order to do what the younger son asks him to do, he has to sell land that has been given to him as a legacy, and land that he had probably hoped to pass along to his sons as their legacy.

And what does he do?  He sells some of the property and gives it to the younger son.  Why would he do that?  Doesn't it seem foolish to you?  Would you do it if your child demanded it of you?  I imagine I would not.

I think sometimes we look at grace in the same way.  Forgive someone who doesn't deserve it?  Love someone who is unlovable?  Why would we do it?  Why would God do it?

And yet, God does, and calls us to do the same, as foolish and as unbelievable as it sounds to us.