The Prodigal....A Look at the Father

The Prodigal....A Look at the Father

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Scriptures to read: Luke 15:11-32

Are we as parents more concerned about our reputation as “christian parents” than we are about our children's eternal destiny?

Reading and meditating on the story of the prodigal son, there are some lessons that we can see concerning the father of the prodigal son.

What was the father's perspective concerning his son wanting to take his inheritance and hit the road to party?

Was the father critical and judgmental of his son, when the son walked away from his father?

Was the father wanting his lost son to pay for embarrassing him? He let his son take his inheritance even though the father knew that his son was walking in the wrong direction. He didn't condemn his son at any point in time for his decision to go to the world.

The situation for the family was probably embarrassing.

He (the father) let his son go into the world, even though it probably hurt the father.

The son had to make a decision to follow the ways of his father or not to on his own. Free will.

It seems that the father of the prodigal was more concerned about his son than his own reputation with his neighbors and fellow church members. He displayed an unconditional love for his son. The bible says that the father “displayed compassion for his son when he was returning when the son was a great way off”.

Many of us as “christian parents” have suffered and some of us still do because of a “prodigal son or daughter”. I pray that our Lord grants us the strength and grace to do as the father in the story of the prodigal. Maybe those prodigals will return and be saved.

In Christ our Lord,

Don