The Lost Son

There was a story told over 2000 years ago which Charles Dickens would later call "The greatest short story ever told." William Shakespeare knew this story well and used it to form major plot points in several of his famous plays. Artists such as Rembrandt and others have depicted this tale in their works. It was a parable told by Jesus Christ himself, and it is called "The Story of the Prodigal Son."

Rembrandt

If you aren't familiar, I encourage you to take a minute to read it right now....

And he said, "There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father,  give me the share of property that is coming me.' And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants." And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to celebrate.

Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, "Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.' But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, 'Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!' And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost and is found." Luke 15:11-32

Whew, there is a lot to unpack in this "greatest short story ever told." Here we have a classic tale of a young man who thought he knew it ALL. :) He had a plan, right? He wanted his inheritance right away so that he go out and live a little. You only live once! He didn't care about the dishonor and shame he would bring to his family, he was only thinking about himself and his own personal happiness. But as anyone who has walked a similar road can tell you, living in sin is only fun for so long. Eventually it all catches up to you, just like it did to the prodigal son when a famine struck the land and he was dead broke.

He became so desperate that he was down in the mud with the pigs longing for the food that they ate. He was a young man who didn't appreciate what he had so he decided to live it up with raucous living and soon found himself in the depths of the pigpen. Has this ever happened to you or someone that you know? Have you watched someone throw their life away for temporary pleasure? It happens every day.

But it's when the son finds himself in the depth of despair that we see what makes this story SO remarkable. There is a pivot point. There is a clear climax in this story. And it comes in the words, "But when he came to himself...."

AHA! When he came to himself he was able to see the absurdity of his situation. He realized that the servants of his father's household were better off than he was. He realized that if he only went home and asked to serve his father he would at least be taken care of with a place to sleep and food to eat. So he went home, ready to humble himself before his father.

What happens next is a beautiful story of grace and forgiveness. The father not only receives his son home, but he runs to greet him, and he puts a robe, a ring, and slippers on his dirty, smelly, unworthy body. The father didn't ask him to go inside and take a bath first, he received his son just as he was. What followed was a grand celebration! The lost son was home, and I would wager that he would NEVER take for granted living in his father's house again. 

Of course there is another son in this story. He represents the epitome of self-righteousness that we've talked about here before. He was the good kid! He never did anything wrong! Why didn't he ever get a party?? (Boohoo!) Okay, I admit it...the first time I ever read this story I kind of saw his point. But the father reminds him that everything the father has is also his son's. The father doesn't love this son any less, but it was fitting to celebrate the son who was lost and became found. In the same way, we should celebrate any time someone comes home to the Lord! 

There are SO many lessons we can take from this parable, but I want to re-focus on that pivot point moment in this story, because I truly believe it may be one of the most important take-aways for us to realize in our own situations. If you or someone you know is currently running from God or their family or all that is good in their life, it's important for you to realize that they are NOT someone living in their "right mind" at the moment. 

For Jesus to remind us that the young man had to "come to senses" it implies that while he was living his sinful lifestyle, he was for all intents and purposes, out of his mind. He was tricked. He was duped. He was lured away by the promise of fun and excitement, but sin NEVER delivers on what it promises in the end. At some point, all prodigals will have a moment where truth is revealed to them and they are finally able to see things for what they really are. It typically comes at a time when they have reached rock bottom and they have nowhere to look but up. They eventually will realize they were better off before, and the void they had been trying to fill with sinful pleasures can only truly be filled by God himself.

You can think of a prodigal as a prisoner of war, ensnared and chained up by the enemy. The prodigal chose to let him in, and eventually they became so entangled in their sin that they couldn't see a way out of it. Their sin turned on them, devoured them, and they typically feel stuck in it. I mean, just how long did that son wallow with the pigs until he finally got the bright idea to go home?? It was only after he "came to his senses" that he could see the truth that was right in front of him all along.

If you are missing someone today because they have turned into someone you hardly recognize, the very best thing you can do for them is to pray that they come to their senses. God can do that! God knows exactly what it will take to speak to the one you love and wake them up. He wants them back home even more than you do! Anything you try to do on your own strength to bring them back is never going to work. Begging them home, manipulating them, sending people to go and get them, whacking them over the head with your bible...not going to work. This is a job for the Holy Spirit. Your job is to stand in the gap for them in prayer and to simply love them home, accepting them back in ANY STATE. After all, that's how God received each and every one of us! 

It is up to you to make the decision of which character you will play in this story. Will you be the jealous brother who hangs all of their wrongdoing over their heads when they come back? Will you greet them with judgement and condemnation?  Or will you emulate the father? Will you receive them with grace and love, no matter what? Will you forgive and let the past be in the past? Maybe you even identify with the prodigal son today. My prayer for you is that you can see clearly how much your father and your family loves you, and to understand that it's never too late to go home.

I have heard and read many firsthand testimonies of people who spent time as a prodigal, and they all say the exact same things:

"I wasn't myself!"
"I was walking around in a fog."
"It was like I was in a trance..."
"I don't even recognize that person!"

Every. Single. Time. I'm telling you - duped! They fell for the lies of Satan hook, line, and sinker. When they "came to" they couldn't believe the things they had done! I am here to say today that the prodigals who were able to make it out, to come home and STAY home, were the ones who were loved unconditionally. First, God loved them enough to wake them up. Then, their family and friends loved them enough to receive them back, no questions asked. If you are feeling led to begin praying to bring a prodigal home today, rest assured that it is God prompting you to do that, and he does not begin a work that he does not finish!

Maybe you don't know any prodigals today, but someday you just might! And someday, heaven forbid, you may be tempted by the flashing lights of sin yourself. I pray that you will think back to this story if that day ever comes and save yourself and the ones you love a whole lot of pain and heartache. This "greatest short story ever told" deserves to be shared and re-shared. Families could be saved. Friendships and marriages could be restored. Relationships with God could be made right again. Yeah. I think Mr. Dickens was quite right! This story is perfect in every way...and that might have something to do with the fact that the one who told it was indeed perfect in every way. :)

Happy day, friends!