Once a young man who had a good home did not want to stay there; he wanted to go away where he could do just as he pleased. So he asked his father for his share of money, which the father gave him, and he soon went to a far country.
There he spent his money in foolish, wicked ways, until a time of famine came, and he had no money left to buy food, and no one gave him any. Then he went to work for a man, taking care of pigs. But no good food was provided for him, and he was so hungry he wished he could eat the husks the pigs ate.
Then this young man began to think how foolish he had been to leave his father’s good home, where all had plenty, while he would soon die without food. He decided to return to his father and ask for a servant’s place, for he knew he did not deserve to be treated as a son; he felt ashamed of all the wrong things he had done.
So he started for his father’s house. He must have been a long time on the way, since he had no money for travel. But while he was still far from the house, his father saw him and hurried to meet him.
The Father’s Response
Did the father scold his son who had left so proudly to have his own way, and came back weary, hungry, and without money or suitable clothes? No, he was sorry for him and put his arms around him and kissed him.
The son said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son,” But he did not ask to be made a servant, for his kind father greeted him as a son and called for the servants to bring him good clothes, even the best robe and to put a ring on his finger, which was a gift of love, also a sign of a member of a certain family. The servants were told to prepare a feast, that all should rejoice over this son’s return.
The Brother’s Response
There was an older brother who was not kind and forgiving as the father; he was angry that this brother should be well treated and would not come in to feast with the rest, even though his father came to urge him. The father said, “It was meet [or, right] that we should make merry and be glad: for this thy brother ... was lost and is found.”
It was not that the son deserved to be well treated; it was only because the father was loving and kind towards him.
The Lord Jesus told this story to men who thought He should not show kindness to those they called sinners. They were like the older son in the story; those who were ashamed and sorry for their sins, were like the younger son.
Have we not all been like that young man, wanting our own way, and not valuing God’s blessings, until we realize, as he did, that we will starve and die in our way? We do not deserve to have God forgive us, but what the Lord Jesus seemed to want all to know by this story was the wonderful forgiveness of God, the Father, to one who will come to Him and say, I have sinned.
Further Meditation
1. How did the Father receive his returning son?
2. What does God give to a repentant sinner? On what basis does He give His gifts?
3. An excellent, if challenging, booklet on this subject is The Father and the Prodigal by J. N. Darby.