The story of the Prodigal (or lost) son in Luke (15:11ff) has a repeating phrase that hints at polarizing perspectives. As we read through it, we see the phrase from the father’s perspective (in vs 24) “this son of mine was dead…”. We see the older son use the phrase “this son of yours has squandered…” (v 30). And finally, the father’s response is “this brother of yours was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found” (vs 32). I use the word polarizing because the perspectives are very opposed to each other. We can learn from it.
The parables that Jesus gives frequently have many layers, like an onion. As you peel away the facts, we can glean yet another layer of truth. On the surface the point of the prodigal son story seems to be about the prodigal son. As we dig deeper, we discover the value of an amazing loving father. He forgives us and lovingly welcomes us back when we wander away from his guidance.
When the son leaves, he is not thinking about his father. And, he is not thinking about how lavishly the father has taken care of him. He is only thinking about himself and what he can do with what he can get. It is very similar to the story of our own lives. We think about ourselves and what we can do with what we have.
It is easy to get caught up in doing the things we want to do. When we think about ourselves too much, we may never get to a state where we think about what God wants. The only time that God comes into the selfish person’s picture is at the point when they have lost everything and the bottom has fallen through. It is only when there seems to be no way out and no solution that the selfish person turns to God.
The amazing reality is — this is finally the time when we can see God. We no longer focus on ourselves. The junk has been cast aside. Nothing else is important. We discover that there is something more important than ourselves. The important thing is our relationship with a loving father who wants the best for us. It is not about the things. It is about building a relationship.
When we are deep into serving ourselves, we have no relationship with God. God’s heart is at the place where He says ‘this son (or daughter) of mine is dead’. We may be surprised to realize that God is still interested in us, and He is willing to renew a relationship.
While we are thinking about this relationship thing, we can realize that the people around us — our neighbors, or brother or sister, are also people dealing with selfishness, and a lack of relationship, in varying degrees. The older brother did not speak up about the inequity with his brother and did not communicate with his father about how he felt until it was nearly too late.
A simple conversation with the father may have allowed the son to come to a better understanding of the context. The son uses the phrase “this son of yours”. Notice he does not say “My brother”. He does not say “dad’, or any relationship phrasing that points to him caring about his dad or his brother.
In our own lives, we need to have relationships that speak of caring and spending time with a significant other. If we do not, we are selfish and uncaring. It is not a condition that will endear us or get us into heaven. Really. If we stand at the judgment seat and say “I know you Lord”, and yet we do not have a caring relationship with others and with God, we are pretty much in a useless place.
The story of the prodigal son is a story of polarized relationships. From the father’s perspective, we see a man who wants to do what he can for his sons. The sons’ perspective presents yet two more angles: the one son cares nothing about family and wants to get away and squander what he has. The second son cares nothing about family and is consumed with work rather than relationships. What can we learn here?
The Work Perspective
There is an old adage that says ‘all work and no play makes a person a dull boy”. I enjoy working. My wife enjoys what she does.The reckless Perspective
In some ways, a reckless approach to life happens when we do not care, and our objective is to ” do all we can, while we ‘Can’ what we can, then sit on our can” (Josh McDowell said that). If we take that attitude, indifference rules, and we are sliding into a pit with no friends and no one who will care for or about us. The prodigal ran into this in Luke 11:16 – 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. Nobody cared about him, because he had driven all his relationships away. Interestingly, we also notice that he has thrown himself into work to get ahead, and it is totally unfruitful for him. A reckless perspective is not beneficial to relationships.
The Polarizing (and Saving) Perspective
The only perspective with balance is the perspective that seeks to repair relationships and does it with a genuine repentance. The son had to carefully think about his previous actions and make a decision to go back to his father. It is a significant discovery. We also need to be ready to examine our relationship with the father, and resolve to fix the relationship.
When we take the step of resolving to fix our relationship with the father, an awesome thing happens. The father is willing and able to come to us where we are, and celebrate our return. Of course the father in the story of the prodigal is referring to God. We are saved from death, saved from uncaring life, saved into a relationship in which God celebrates us.
