The Two Sons… and Why I Relate to Both
The Parable of the Lost Son has always challenged me because, if I’m honest, I can see myself in both brothers. Living with disability and faith has changed the way I read this parable, especially when I think about suffering, bitterness, grace, and the struggle to keep trusting God during difficult seasons.
Most people focus on the younger son in the Parable of the Lost Son. He takes his inheritance, wastes everything, hits rock bottom, and finally returns home broken and ashamed. It’s one of the Bible’s clearest pictures of repentance, grace, and forgiveness.
However, living with disability and faith has made me notice the older brother more. The older brother in the Parable of the Lost Son stayed close to home, worked hard, and appeared faithful on the outside, yet his heart slowly became bitter.
After my accident in 2009, life changed completely. Living with paraplegia brings frustrations many people never think about — accessibility problems, health issues, exhaustion, dependence on others, and the emotional weight that comes with all of it. Some struggles are physical, while others are deeply emotional and spiritual.
There are days when simple tasks require enormous effort. There are also moments where it feels like the world keeps moving while you are stuck fighting battles nobody else can see. Over time, discouragement can quietly grow if you are not careful.
Why the Older Brother Challenges Me
That’s why the older brother in the Parable of the Lost Son stands out to me so much.
He stayed faithful.
He worked hard.
He obeyed.
Yet somewhere along the way, his heart changed.
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in.”
I think many Christians can relate to that more than we’d like to admit.
Sometimes life feels unfair. You watch others make reckless decisions while you’re still carrying battles you never chose. You try to stay faithful, keep trusting God, and keep moving forward, yet frustration slowly builds underneath the surface.
If we are not careful, disappointment slowly becomes bitterness. We may still attend church, pray, and believe in God, but inwardly we can become tired, resentful, and emotionally distant. The Parable of the Lost Son reminds me that spiritual distance can happen even while physically staying close to God.
What I love most about the Parable of the Lost Son is that the father goes out to both sons.
He runs toward the rebellious younger son. But he also walks outside to speak gently to the angry older brother.
That tells me something important about God. He cares about those who are openly broken, but He also cares about those quietly struggling inside.
As a Christian living with disability and faith, I need that reminder often.
Suffering can soften our hearts or harden them. It can push us closer to God or leave us frustrated and distant. Disability has taught me that faith is not only about believing in God during good seasons. It is about continuing to trust Him during painful and exhausting ones as well.
Grace and Hope in the Prodigal Son Story
The challenge of the Parable of the Lost Son is not only this question: “Have you wandered away from God?”
It also asks: “Has disappointment changed your heart while staying close to Him?”
The Parable of the Lost Son, also known as the Prodigal Son story, reminds me that God pursues both rebellious people and weary believers carrying hidden struggles. His grace is big enough for obvious failures, but it is also big enough for quiet bitterness, discouragement, and emotional exhaustion.
That is why this parable means so much to me.
Both sons needed grace.
So do I.
Read the full bible passage.
Read more about me.