The Father’s Castle or The Mud Hut?

In Max Lucado’s book, “In the Grip of Grace,” we encounter a parable that unfolds from biblical principles. Specifically, those outlined in the first few chapters of Romans.

Before diving in, I want to give a quick SPOILER ALERT for those who haven’t read this book. I’m going to give a lot away as I unpack my thoughts over the next few posts.

In Lucado’s parable, there are five brothers.

These five brothers reside in their father’s castle, but only the eldest complies with the father’s wishes. Stemming from disobedience and its unfortunate consequences, the younger four brothers are swept away in a rushing river.

Eventually, these four brothers find themselves in a foreign land, far from their home and father. Left with only his eldest son, the father sends him to locate the others.

Meanwhile, in the foreign land…

One of the brothers opts to build a hut made of sticks and mud as his new home. When the eldest brother arrives, he discovers this brother living in his mud hut. Despite the eldest brother’s plea to return home, the brother in the mud hut rejects the possibility.

Metaphorically, this part of the story resembles the individuals mentioned by Paul in Romans 1:21-32—choosing selfishness and immorality (a mud hut) over a life with our Heavenly Father.

21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. 28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

Romans 1:21-32 (ESV)

Keeping that text in mind, let’s return to Lucado’s parable.

Attention shifts to the next brother found standing on a hillside, looking down and scoffing in judgment at the brother in the mud hut. The eldest brother climbs the hill intending to persuade this brother to return to the father.

Before reaching the top, the brother on the hillside yells down at him.

“How good that you are here to behold the sin of our brother! Are you aware that he turned his back on the castle? Are you aware that he never speaks of home?“

Hearing this, the eldest brother replied, “‘We need to deal with your sins first.’

‘My sins?’” the brother exclaims. “‘Don’t worry about me. Let me show you who needs help,’ he said, running toward the hut. ‘Come, we’ll peek in the windows. He never sees me. Let’s go together.’ The son was at the hut before he noticed that Firstborn hadn’t followed him.”

The Parable of the River, Lucado, 1996

Come back tomorrow for part two of my exploration of Lucado’s “Parable of the River”.

Join the Conversation, Leave Your Thoughts

• How have you turned away from the Father’s castle to dwell in a mud hut?
• How do you see connections between the first part of Lucado’s parable and Romans 1?
• What other thoughts do you have?