The Prodigal Son

The prodigal son for whatever reason or another thought it best to take what he would be given of his inheritance now instead of later. I think that we all have left home and then came to ourselves realizing we were wrong. Our Holy Father is always willing to take us back no matter what wrong thing we have done. We never get so far out and away from Christ that He is unwilling to forgive us. All we have to do is be genuinely sorry for what we have done and God will forgive and forget our trespass. His forgiveness and mercy are gifts we should never take for granted.

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Then Jesus* said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” So he divided his property between them. 13A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. 14When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16He would gladly have filled himself with* the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. 17But when he came to himself he said, “How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’ ” 20So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21Then the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”* 22But the father said to his slaves, “Quickly, bring out a robe-the best one-and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” And they began to celebrate. 25 ‘Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. 27He replied, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.” 28Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 29But he answered his father, “Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!” 31Then the father* said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.”

-Luke 15:11-32

The story of the prodigal son is a familiar one to many.  Each time we hear this story we are reminded of God’s mercy to those who wander away.  Like the father in this story, God rejoices when we turn from our own waywardness and come back to God.  If we stopped reading at 11:24, then we could understand this to be a beautiful story of forgiveness and reconciliation.  While this is indeed a part of the story, there is more for us to consider in the next eight verses. 

Justice and anger.  Anger is a usual response to injustice.  Riots in our society generally occur when one group feels there has been an unjust outcome to a situation that affects them.  The older brother is upset, in fact downright angry, that his brother should receive such great reward for his negligent and selfish behavior.  The younger brother has wasted his share of his father’s money; he has nothing to show for it.  He does not deserve to be honored.  The older son has been loyal to his father and has been responsible and taken care of what he has been given.  He deserves to be honored for being responsible. 

As Christians we too get caught up in believing that only those who are faithful and obedient will be rewarded.  As Christians we have this idea that we deserve to be rewarded for being “good Christians.”  We have different categories of things that one must do in order to be rewarded.  Do we attend church regularly?  Study scripture?  Pray?  The older brother has completed his checklist of duties to be a “good son;” this is commendable; however, the story reminds us not to be so self-confident about who is in and who is out in God’s kingdom. 

The story of the prodigal son widens the circle for our understanding of God’s grace.  God is not using our same score sheet.  God has God’s own ideas of justice.  Although we want to have it all in black and white, good and bad, in and out, God surprises us.  This scripture teaches us that although we want to draw a line that marks off where God’s acceptance ends, God does not adhere to our understanding of justice.  This acknowledgment can be very frustrating as we see in the elder son, but thank goodness that God does not use our guidelines for acceptance for we all worthy to be called the prodigal “wasteful” son/daughter at one time or another.  This scripture cautions us from using our judgmental measuring stick.  It reminds us to follow God’s lead in our treatment of one another and not our own.  Thanks be to God that we are loved in spite of ourselves.

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For more information

• Rev. Leigh Martin
  (770)720-5634 
  LSM@reinhardt.edu