The {Other} Prodigal Pianist

In 2002 Elder Holland gave a talk entitled The Other Prodigal. In his talk, he focuses on the older, faithful and loyal brother, rather than the typical wayward younger son.

An excerpt from Elder Hollands talk:
    

But being caught up in this younger son’s story, we can miss, if we are not careful, the account of an elder son, for the opening line of the Savior’s account reads, “A certain man had two sons”—and He might have added, “both of whom were lost and both of whom needed to come home.”

The younger son has returned, a robe has been placed on his shoulders and a ring on his finger, when the older son comes on the scene. He has been dutifully, loyally working in the field, and now he is returning. The language of parallel journeys home, though from very different locations, is central to this story.

As he approaches the house, he hears the sounds of music and laughter.

“And he called one of the servants [note that he has servants], and asked what these things meant.

“And [the servant] said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

“And [the older brother] was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.”

I have always sympathized with the older son. He is completely justified in being a little upset at the situation. He has done everything right, and yet he seems to get no recognition. So unfair! 

Right?

The next part, however, helped me to see the story in another way - through the eyes of the father.

You know the conversation they then had. Surely, for this father, the pain over a wayward child who had run from home and wallowed with swine is now compounded with the realization that this older, wiser brother, the younger boy’s childhood hero as older brothers always are, is angry that his brother has come home.

The watchful father has waited so long for this moment when his son would return.... and now that it is finally here, he is not able to fully enjoy it because his other son is now upset. Our Heavenly Father is so willing to let us repent and change, but how disappointed He must be when we are not willing to allow others that blessing.

As I continued reading, I realized the love that our Father has for each of us - Just because the older son doesn't get a party, does not mean that he has been forgotten  or is being treated unfairly.

No, I correct myself. This son is not so much angry that the other has come home as he is angry that his parents are so happy about it. Feeling unappreciated and perhaps more than a little self-pity, this dutiful son—and he is wonderfully dutiful—forgets for a moment that he has never had to know filth or despair, fear or self-loathing. He forgets for a moment that every calf on the ranch is already his and so are all the robes in the closet and every ring in the drawer. He forgets for a moment that his faithfulness has been and always will be rewarded.

No, he who has virtually everything, and who has in his hardworking, wonderful way earned it, lacks the one thing that might make him the complete man of the Lord he nearly is. He has yet to come to the compassion and mercy, the charitable breadth of vision to see that this is not a rival returning. It is his brother. As his father pled with him to see, it is one who was dead and now is alive. It is one who was lost and now is found.

Certainly this younger brother had been a prisoner—a prisoner of sin, stupidity, and a pigsty. But the older brother lives in some confinement, too. He has, as yet, been unable to break out of the prison of himself. He is haunted by the green-eyed monster of jealousy. ² He feels taken for granted by his father and disenfranchised by his brother, when neither is the case. He has fallen victim to a fictional affront. As such he is like Tantalus of Greek mythology—he is up to his chin in water, but he remains thirsty nevertheless. One who has heretofore presumably been very happy with his life and content with his good fortune suddenly feels very unhappy simply because another has had some good fortune as well.

The older Son has his reward, and it is so much better that a party for one night. Sometimes it's just hard to keep the right perspective.

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I relate this to my experience of taking piano lessons.

My sister is very musical and very good at the piano. She can read notes, she practices regularly, and she works hard to improve on her weaknesses.

I am not very good at the piano. After something like six years of piano I still can’t read notes, I never practiced, and didn’t care much for the things I was learning.

 My sister and I use to take piano lessons together. Although I rarely practiced at home, I was blessed with the ability to memorize quickly. My strategy was to get my teacher to play the song for me at lessons where I would watch her hands, memorize their movement, and then mimic it back. The result was that my piano teacher always praised me because, in her eyes, I had made so much progress from the beginning of the lesson.

My sister, on the other hand, had a very different experience. No matter how much she had practiced that week, our teacher always pushed her to be better. My sister had a difficult time memorizing and would get discouraged seeing me recall things instantly. She always left mad at me for having done so much “better” than her in lessons when she knew I didn’t work for any of it. I had it so easy!

In comparing this to the prodigal son - I would be the prodigal son, enjoying my party at piano lessons, and my sister would be the older brother complaining that it wasn't fair.

However, in the long run, my sister can now play anything you put in front of her. She is able to share her talent with others as well as enjoy it for herself.

I, on the other hand, have lost almost all of what little piano skills I did have. I wish that I had been more diligent at developing my abilities and am now trying to go back and relearn the piano. I may have received the praise in the immediate piano lesson, but in the long run, it doesn’t measure up.