THE PRODIGAL

The Master Story-Teller, Jesus, told the Parable of the Prodigal Son, one of the most memorable passages in the Bible. You know the story…

A man had two sons. The younger son came to his dad and demanded his share of the inheritance. Dad wasn’t dead! What was the son thinking, asking for the will to be read and the estate divided? That brand of selfishness is hard to fathom!

Nevertheless, dad wrote Junior a check … and off he went to Las Vegas! He gambled, drank, went to the sleezy shows, and before long, he was broke! The only job he could get was washing dishes in a dingy dive.

(It was something like that…)

With his hands deep in the soapy water, “he came to his senses, and said … ‘I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight” ’ ” (Luke 15:17).

According to my dictionary, a prodigal is one who “spends money or resources freely and recklessly; he is wastefully extravagant.” The younger son was a prodigal.

So was his daddy!

When the downcast boy returned home, his daddy was waiting… anticipating his lost son’s return. The “father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him” (Luke 15:20). The daddy welcomed his son home! Although it cost him half of his estate, he didn’t reject his son, he restored him and celebrated his return!

“The father told his servants, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate” (Luke 15:22–24).

It’s easy enough to understand Jesus’ lesson… God is a compassionate prodigal, One who “proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”

(Romans 5:8).

“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).