In Luke 15:11-32, Jesus tells a story about a son who does the unthinkable and asks his father for his share of the inheritance while his father is still very much alive! Worse yet, this son goes and squanders all he was given in “foolish living.” He literally financially bankrupted himself pursuing a morally bankrupt life! He hit rock bottom and found himself longing to eat the food he was feeding to pigs. He decides to return home and confess his sin and ask his father for mercy and to hire him. As Jesus tells the story, while the son was still a long way off, the father sees his son, runs to him, throws his arms around him and kissed him! He throws a party to celebrate the return of his lost son and welcomes him back in the family. Oh, the love of the father!
But not everyone was thrilled. The older brother who had never left was bitter and refused to welcome his brother or celebrate his return. He did not share in his father’s joy, but rather had contempt for his wayward brother and for his father. And I’m afraid that the attitude that many churchgoers hold in our hearts is like that of the older brother: we are not really interested in seeing wayward siblings restored to the family. It is easy for us to think that they have chosen their path and deserve what they have coming to them!
But God is calling us to adopt the posture of the merciful and loving father in this story. It is important to note that the father did not go an interrupt his wayward son in the middle of his hedonistic living. The father didn’t go shame or scold him into behaving. Yet the Father also never stopped watching or waiting. And when the son was still a long way off but beginning to make his way home, the father ran to welcome him home.
