Walking With the Prodigal

I've been looking at the story Jesus told about the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32 and several things occurred to me.

“There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.”

I've heard many people talk about the disrespect it would take for the younger son to demand his part of the family business while his father was still living. Regardless whether that was an issue or not, it is obvious that the boy had no care or respect for his father. Also, the father granted his request, though he had no obligation to do so. Since according to the law, property could not be sold out of the clan and was only leased until Jubilee, the father no doubt gave him the worth of the land he would one day possess.

The son had no preparation to take his inheritance. He was suddenly wealthy. He got as far away from the father as he could. But he had no value for the estate as is shown by “squandering his wealth in wild living.”

After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

The son had no skill set with which to recover, especially in adverse conditions. It is obvious that his employer was shrewd and cruel. He wouldn't even let him have the hog's food. He did see his father as a fair and kind employer, yet there is no indication that he cared more for his father than he had when he left.

“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’

I don't see that he ever missed or desired a relationship with his father. He saw going back to the father as a goal to get what he needed. He was hungry. He was doing something that he had considered dishonorable and repulsive from his birth, yet he had no satisfaction, he had no sustenance. He said to himself “the people in my father's house have food.” They had clean food. They had kosher food. He had no doubt that his father's estate was doing well.
I'm also realizing that the prodigal knew he had wasted his inheritance. He knew that his future had been changed by his own actions. He was not going home to an inheritance. He was going home to sustenance.

So he got up and went to his father.

He expected to be an outcast, a reject. No longer would he be the spoiled son of a rich father. In the story, the father actually confirmed that when he told his older son that everything he had was his; the older son owned everything except his father's compassion. He did not have the Father's heart.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

Perhaps the brother saw the prodigal's selfish motive and that he was not different than when he left, but the love of the father had brought him back in the home any way. The younger son was not just brought into the home, but he was clothed in the best, he was given a signet ring-a seal of authority, and the father killed the ceremonial calf to throw a party for him. He was given the best of everything and renewed sonship without lifting a finger. The father didn't even allow the younger son to finish his rehearsed speech.

Legalism said “I have nothing to gain except sustenance”; mercy said “put an identifying robe and ring on the prodigal, for he is my son.” The prodigal left as a son by the father's wealth and by the father's decree, he returned as a son.

Returning as an employee may have been easier for the prodigal. Finding mercy that is so obviously mercy can be difficult for the proud, whether or not they are in a position of honor. I'd like to think that the prodigal had his pride stripped away in the hog farm. Yet he did not ask his father for anything but a job. He admitted his trespass against the father and against heaven, but he didn't plan repentance or a request for forgiveness into his speech. Maybe that's why the father stopped him.

“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

“The older brother became angry and refused to go in.
Justice says “He doesn't really deserve to be called your son.” Grace says “Put a ring and robe on the prodigal.” We can get so busy trying to do justly that we don't retain a love for mercy, but the Father does and if we're going to have his heart we have to allow him to reproduce mercy in us.
It's also possible that in concentrating on his brother's selfishness, that the other son became selfish and didn't want his brother taking anything that was his. The father was trying to teach his faithful son to give and forgive.

So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

The picture of this father begging his older son is almost more than I can endure. How many times has the Holy Spirit argued with my angry heart about forgiveness and mercy? More than I would like to consider. The disrespect that the 'faithful son' shows here is quite telling. This estate was his inheritance, yet he speaks as though he was a slave who, though obedient, was not compliant with the spirit or intention of the father. “You gave me nothing. You never allowed me to celebrate with my friends.” It appears the sons were not so very far apart in spirit. Yet obedience is obedience and the father was compassionate and merciful to both his sons.

“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Though the inheritance had been spent, sonship was still in effect, and brotherhood should have been. The faithful son had nothing to fear from the returning prodigal. His obedience was honored, yet the father wanted to change his heart.