God doesn't call us fools, Gismy. He calls us beloved. He says, Come home, my beloved son, my beloved daughter! I love you. I am your father and I miss you and I love you. He weeps over us and woos us by his loving kindness and gentleness. It is his kindness that leads us to repentance.
Would any loving and concerned father call his wayward child a fool? No. He would search and find him and bring him home and lavish his love upon him! That is the heart of the father for the prodigal son!
The elder brother was angry with his wayward brother because he did not see his own heart. He was religious but loveless. He was angry with his own brother because like the pharisee who judged the publican in the temple he was self - righteous and proud of his own ability to not become wayward like his brother.
I am a Publican. Not a Pharisee. It is by the grace of Almighty God I am saved and can hold two sentences together. After so many years of drug addiction that was a miracle in itself. I know what it is to not believe in God. I know what it is to believe in God and then backslide away from God! I know what it is to be loved by God in spite of it all!
What have I received that God has not given me and if he has given me all things what could I possibly be proud about? Nothing. I have nothing to be proud about and everything to be humbled by. Including His Great Mercy.
It is written:
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter the kingdom of heaven. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, THOU SHALT NOT KILL: and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of judgment:
But I say unto you, That whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council, but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. - Matthew 5: 20 - 22
Mercy triumphs over judgment.
I thank God for His Mercy today. I praise Him and adore Him for sending My Jewish Messiah to save me. My Jewish Jesus who did not come into the world to condemn it but to save it. Blessed be His Name forever.