Episode 94 - The Parable of the Prodigal Son

As we reread this parable , we may identify with ether son or the father - But what does this parable really tell us about Gods character and our relationship with Him 

Luke 15 : 11-35

Transcript

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This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. Hello and welcome to Shine. I'm your host, Nicole Florence, and this week I want to go over a few of the parables, especially the ones we know and love. Because what I think has been interesting about my spiritual journey is when I read these, I of course always put myself in the picture. Like who am I identifying with that Jesus is referring to? And how am I supposed to change my spiritual mindset after listening? But of course, at the end of the day, really, you know, these stories are more about his character, more so than mine. And it seems apropos, for those of you who know, that I will start today with the prodigal son. And for many of you, if you have not read it, you might want to pause and reread Luke chapter 15, 11 through 35, where we hear about a man who has two sons who sound like they couldn't be more opposite. And the one son, we're unsure if it's the youngest or the oldest, um, decides to ask for his inheritance from his father, and basically runs off and squanders it, you know. I would see in this day and age as maybe, you know, he goes off and lives the high life, um, you know, bottle service, vegas, um expensive uh things, you know, all the fleshy things that we think are going to make us happy, while the other son, um, it seems stays behind and stays with the family and decides to do quote unquote the right thing. Over time we find the son loses everything, um, gets to the point where he is so destitute, he is, you know, basically eating slop among the pigs, so to speak, um, where he becomes incredibly lost and and humbled and decides to come home. And there's this part um in the story, and I've read this so many times, um, where it says that he um basically um comes to his senses, right? We understand that there are times that we are doing things where we are being drawn out of our own um sensibility. And when he comes to his senses, he comes home, and I love how the father can see him in the distance. And as any of you know, as any parent knows, you know your child, and he runs and loves him and greets him and hugs him before even any explanation comes out. And the son repents in a posture of humility, and the father um basically accepts his repentance and throws a big feast because, as he said, my son was lost and now he is found. Now, when I used to read this parable, I always identified um with the brother who stayed home, right? I always do the right thing, I always say the right thing, I work hard, um, I I sacrifice, I do for others as much as I can. How is it that this person who didn't care about anybody else goes off, squanders what he was given, and everybody wants to celebrate him when he comes home? You know, I would have that posture of self-righteousness, that posture of judgment, and it was really hard for me to get past that because that's who I identified with in that story. And of course, over time there were times that you know I was the prodigal son where I was not in my senses and probably made decisions and did things that were more fleshy, uh, that I should not have, that I needed to, you know, come home, my tail between my legs, I'm sorry, um, and ask for forgiveness. And now as I've gotten older as a parent, I identify with that father, and identify with the fact that your adult kids could not be more different, and they have different lives, they have different needs, and we love them in different ways, and as much as we would like them to um champion each other and celebrate each other and support each other, we know that doesn't always happen, that there can be judgment and envy, um, there can be a tug of war between the two of them, which can be hard as um an adult or as the parent of adults. You know, nobody tells you that part. You know, we talk about the terrible twos, we talk about the teens, but you know parenting and and and having adult children is incredibly difficult. And I understand now why that father um was so overjoyed for the child who he felt he had lost, who repented and came home. And I understand that explanation to the other child is yes, you have been here and I have given you everything I have and everything you have needed, and that is your celebration, that is your inheritance, and you know, almost sorry that you have not understood that all these years, and now as I am on my spiritual kind of journey day to day along with you, I truly understand God's character, and I understand how he looks at each and one of us, and how challenging it probably is when we are not within our senses, when we squander the inheritance, the sacrifice and salvation that he has given us to forgive us of our sins, and how there are others who in their self-righteous judgment feel that they have earned more than maybe what the others have because of their pathway or journey that somehow others do not deserve the inheritance that Jesus has given us. Um we see it in our world today, right? You're not a Christian, or you're um living your life this way. You haven't earned his love and his forgiveness. And so I hope you will reread that. Think about perhaps who you identify with or who you have been and how you have maybe postured yourself to others around you, whether as the one who was in need of forgiveness and repentance, or the one who was self-righteous and full of judgment, or the one who showed unwavering love and mercy and grace to both of them, just as Jesus has done for us. And I will end with the last verse of the parable, where the father says, Son, he said to him, You are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because the brother of yours was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.