The Prodigal Son. Ever heard of him? He’s pretty popular these days! And he has an exciting story, overflowing with an amazing expression of God’s grace.
And with this grace-on-steroids adventure I’ve been on, I’ve noticed a lot of awesome things in this story that I hadn’t before.
Here are a few.
1. The father was never angry.
The first is that the father was never angry at the son. Not even when the son took his inheritance and squandered it on all those porno mags and Marilyn Manson albums (do the “bad kids” still listen to him these days?). There’s no sign that the father ever got vindictive and said, “That dirty-rotten-sinner son! I need to judge him! I need to banish him from the family!”
If we’re to continue interpreting this story as a parable of God and “sinners,” then it’s important to remember that the father never held a vendetta against the rebellious son. It might also be important to realize that…
2. He started as a son, ended as a son, and was a son everywhere in between.
The son was a son from the start. He wasn’t a stranger and then a son. He woke up as a son, took all of his inheritance as a son, blew all of his inheritance as a son, ate with the pigs as a son, and finally returned to his father, welcomed home as a son. In fact, it was only the son who declared himself unworthy to be called a son—the father never did!
3. He was never banished from the father by the father; he left on his own.
This story doesn’t show a son who was banished from the house by an angry father, it shows a son who willingly left and abused all he had been given. And the father waited. Patiently and full of hope.
4. The son returned by choice, not by force and fear.
Did you notice that it wasn’t threats of the father’s wrath and judgment that got the son to repent (change his mind)? He came to his senses on his own when he remembered that his father was kind, his house was warm, and he had lots of food! “Even if I were a servant I would be better off than this!” And yet, when he returned home, he wasn’t demoted to a servant for his naughty behavior. And even though he expected to be shamed and rejected, declaring, “I’m unworthy to be called your son!” that didn’t stop the father from embracing him as exactly that.
5. The son with a work-really-hard-to-impress-my-father mentality, was still a son nonetheless.
Now, the father had another son. This son was filled with jealousy and anger when his brother returned. He even refused to attend the party (which is okay, because more cheesecake for me!). Still, the father came out and begged him to join them. But the son replied, “I’ve slaved away for you for years, doing everything you said, and what have you given me? Yet, he spent all your money on prostitutes, and he gets a feast!”
This son was focused on himself and what he had done for the father. Perhaps he was even trying to win the father’s love through his labor, and now felt that all his hard work went unnoticed. Understandably then, he was hurt when his brother, who had done nothing but abuse what his father gave him, returned and received a celebration. Yet what was the father’s response to this son? “You jealous brat! Leave my house at once!” No. But rather, “You’re always with me. Everything I have is yours. But your brother was dead, now he is alive! He was gone, but now he has returned!”
A gentle reassurance of his part in the family, and a reminder of why it was a good time to celebrate!
6. The father was never angry with the second son.
This second son, who acted just like many of the pharisees we have so despised, didn’t find an angry and vindictive father anymore than the sinful son did. They both found the same father, full of love and grace for his children. They both found the same response when they challenged his love for them.
Conclusion
The prodigal son story goes deeper than just being about God’s love for “sinners.” It’s about God’s love for all. Even those stubborn, work-focused pharisees who try to win the father’s love through their own efforts (but have yet to see that they’ve had it all along). Paul’s life reinforces this idea.
The Father’s love isn’t partial to “sinners,” it’s equal for all. And even though it’s not different in measure for each individual, it may be expressed differently to each. For some he might throw a party, for others he might send an invitation. But rest assured, there’s a party and everyone is welcomed! The “sinner” is welcomed home to a feast, and the self-righteous welcomed in for a rest.
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