Loving

All the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around Jesus to listen to him. The Pharisees and legal experts were grumbling, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Jesus told them this parable: 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.’” (Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32, CEB)

This is the story you probably grew up knowing as the Prodigal Son.

A son that goes to his father, proclaims him dead and requests his share of the estate. Goes of and squanders the money on prostitutes and parties and winds up feeding pigs.

Is that the story though?

The son spent the money on extravagant living. Nothing about prostitutes or parties. Extravagant Living could be eating out or buying things he wanted but didn’t need. I want a new Xbox, or a new laptop so I’m getting it. But I don’t need them, that’s Extravagant. We assume a lot about this because the older brother assumes a lot about what happened. One person’s rendition of the story does not make the whole story. And is the story about the son?

The story begins, ”A certain man had two sons.” The story is about a man, who has two sons. The story is about the Father. Who gives his sons what they ask, even when it may not be the best thing for them and then spends their time looking for the son who had wandered away. The Story is about the love of a father that never ends regardless of how the children act.

The story is about God and how we will always be loved by a father that wants us to be home and celebrates us when we are and worries about us when we wander away.

The story is not the prodigal son, but the loving father. The father that will do anything to make sure the children know they are loved.

Love like the father.

Loving People. Loving God.