Three Ways to Experience Lostness
...and ways to be found (or not).
A lot of ink and many 0s and 1s have been spent on this parable. It is indeed fascinating and remarkable. It is identifiable. That is, many can see elements of their own story therein, in one of the three main characters.
Some identify with the younger son, having made destructive decisions of greed, impulse, and ignorance. Others identify with the father, having lost something or someone significant with seemingly no ability or opportunity to get it back.
Then there’s the third character. Fewer, still yet some, identify with the older son. Perhaps this solidarity takes a bit more self introspection and honesty. His part doesn’t end well in the parable. It’s not to say that he is irredeemable, but perhaps since his crisis moment isn’t nearly as marked as his brother’s or father’s, it’s harder to pin down how redemption comes.
In a sense, though, maybe that’s the point. The parable doesn’t conclude with closure, but with invitation. The father goes out to both sons, to the reckless and to the resentful. The story hangs open because God’s mercy does. It’s a story not about one son’s repentance or another’s stubbornness, but about a father’s relentless, prodigal love that refuses to let either be lost.
The younger son’s return is dramatic, the older son’s decision still pending, but the father’s posture remains patiently constant.
I suppose it could also be true that the older son’s shortcoming is just harder to discern and deliver. Again, not that it’s irredeemable. Just that the mud he’s stuck in - while maybe not that of pigs - is yet sticky still, comfortable enough to hold him there in his moderate misery and balcony judgmentalism.
Sometimes, it seems all too common. God the Father offers the world immediate relief, instantaneous forgiveness, if only we’d receive it and allow it for others. Yet even then, the invitation still stands. The Father keeps calling, patient as ever, waiting for us to step free and come home, even if we think we’ve been living there all along.
Luke 15:11-32
Jesus said, “A certain man had two sons. The younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the inheritance.’ Then the father divided his estate between them. Soon afterward, the younger son gathered everything together and took a trip to a land far away. There, he wasted his wealth through extravagant living.
“When he had used up his resources, a severe food shortage arose in that country and he began to be in need. He hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. He longed to eat his fill from what the pigs ate, but no one gave him anything. When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have more than enough food, but I’m starving to death! I will get up and go to my father, and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son. Take me on as one of your hired hands.” ’ So he got up and went to his father.
“While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion. His father ran to him, hugged him, and kissed him. Then his son said, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quickly, bring out the best robe and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! Fetch the fattened calf and slaughter it. We must celebrate with feasting because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life! He was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.
“Now his older son was in the field. Coming in from the field, he approached the house and heard music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what was going on. The servant replied, ‘Your brother has arrived, and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he received his son back safe and sound.’ Then the older son was furious and didn’t want to enter in, but his father came out and begged him. He answered his father, ‘Look, I’ve served you all these years, and I never disobeyed your instruction. Yet you’ve never given me as much as a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours returned, after gobbling up your estate on prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’ Then his father said, ‘Son, 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. He was lost and is found.’”
Psalm 32:1-2
The one whose wrongdoing is forgiven,
whose sin is covered over, is truly happy!
The one the Lord doesn’t consider guilty—
in whose spirit there is no dishonesty—
that one is truly happy!
Prayer
God,
Grace upon grace. That’s the image. Sometimes it’s easy to accept for others. And then other times the need - as deep as it may be - seems subtle enough we can just let it slide.
But we can’t.
So help us, God. Break us. Tear us open. Don’t let our mediocrity imprison our hearts. Show us the true destruction of our complacency, that the comfort we take in inspirational Christian radio or kitschy daily scripture calendars, or niceties of conversation - they all meander and dance around your Word, but are not it.
Holiness. Make us holy, Lord. Dash our hearts and fill us with the goodness of your truth and life.
By your Spirit & in Christ,
Amen.