Curve Ahead

Luke 15 brings us the familiar story of the Prodigal Son. The storyline has become almost mundane: boys rebels, boy regrets, father forgives. In its familiarity it is easy to pass over its power...and how it relates to each of our daily lives. Some of life's most profound realities are confronted in The Prodigal Son.

I'm reminded of the movie The Princess Bride. During a sword fight, Inigo and Westley are equally matched. Westley asked Inigo, "Why are you smiling?" Inigo responds, as he flips his sword from his left to his right hand, "I know something you do not know, I am not left handed!" As he begins to dominate in the fight, Inigo inquires about Westley's smile, to which Westley replies, also flipping his sword from left to right, "I too am not left handed!"

Life throws curves at us. All the time. How will we handle them when they come? What does our faith have to do with our response? And where is God in the mix?

[related to Pastor Lynn's sermon, "Curve Ahead," coming March 14, 2010, 10:00am @ Good Shepherd UMC, cometoworship.net]