By: Mike Kelly
Retired Pastor
I met Darth Vader in 1976 when my children were 8-6-2. I took them to a private showing of the original Star Wars movie in NYC months before it was released to the theaters.
I also met Spiderman while he was still a cartoon character, years before his first movie.
I say that so that you’ll know that while I was mostly a nerd, I was also the coolest dad around back in the day.
Dads ought to be “cool” or ‘fearsome’ or “giants” in the eyes of their children. But there is one kid Jesus talks about who thought of his dad as an inconvenience.
His basic attitude was that he hoped the old man would pop off so he could have his inheritance. Finally, one day, he just couldn’t take his stifling home life any longer.
He felt like it was work, work, work from sunrise to sunset. No time for fun…at least not his idea of fun. So, he went to his dad and asked? Demanded? Through a temper tantrum?
No idea how he asked, but the story says he asked, and his father actually gave him his share of his inheritance.
Since we know the father was a farmer, we can imagine that most of his wealth was in the land and not the bank, so raising the kind of cash that would represent 1/3 of his wealth was a big task, yet he did it. Why?
Why would he give the kid anything anyway? He certainly wasn’t required to by Jewish law. And why would he give him his full share? Let’s face it, the dad was no dummy. He knew what his son would do with the money.
(Luke 15:13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.”) It was not a smart move for a good dad.
Shouldn’t he have stood his ground and told the boy he wasn’t mature enough for that kind of responsibility? Shouldn’t he have protected his son from himself? I’ll confess, it seems like a pretty cowardly thing to do. To give in rather than say “No.”
Actually, we’d call this a dysfunctional family today. A dad without a backbone. A son too immature to know what was good for him.
And, of course, there is the older brother. You know him. He’s the compliant kid who does everything his father asks but harbors a lot of jealousy in his heart.
When he learns that his brother has come home, his first thought is not ‘Wow, I’m glad he’s back! I hope he’s OK.” His first thoughts were anger and jealousy. “The older brother became angry and refused to go in.
So, his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years, I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders.
Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!” (v28-30).
Yep, dysfunctional! Yet, this story we refer to as “The Prodigal Son” is a lesson not in dysfunction but in redemptive love.
I don’t see the love in the father for allowing his son to go when he had to know the boy would waste the money. Sorry. Some may object to that characterization, but I’d want a dad to protect his son even if it is from himself.
Then, there’s the “good” son who stayed home and did as he was told, but his concern for his own “rights” outweighed his concern for his brother. I don’t see much love in that attitude either.
So, where’s the love? Why did Jesus teach this parable about true love? It’s right here in V20b, “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”
Most will see the Father’s love in being filled with compassion, but I see his love in those five small, easy-to-overlook words: “he ran to his son.”
He didn’t wait for the boy to come home and bow before him. He didn’t wait for the boy to apologize and ask forgiveness. He didn’t wait for the boy to ask to just be allowed to live on his dad’s estate.
No, he ran to him!!! I’m sure he wrapped him up and swung him around. He kissed him while the tears fell freely down his face, he cried out,” For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” (v24)
It’s those words we long to hear our Father say. I mean, I like the rest of it, the restoration: (v22-23) “But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him.
Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.” But “he who was dead is alive” is where the true love resides.
God doesn’t have to take us back. Truthfully, it’s hard to imagine why he would even bother. The Flood that ended everyone, but Noah and his family feels like the proper response. The fire and brimstone that Sodom and Gomorrah experienced seems like the more natural response.
But God has made a decision to accept us, flaws and all, if we will just return to him. Does it matter how poorly you’ve lived? How profligate your life has been? How filled with sin and excess and selfishness?
Yes, it does, but not when you are turning to him. That’s when you’ll see His great love. That’s when the God of Gods will run to you!!! And swing you around and yell in a loud voice:”
For this child of mine was dead and is alive again; he/she was lost and is found.” (v24). That’s love…unconditional forgiveness and immediate acceptance. Can you go to the Father? That’s all it took.
———————–
Mike Kelly is the founding pastor of Bryan’s Grace Community Church (retired) and Board Chairman of Bryan’s Sanctuary Homeless Shelter and Williams County’s Compassion (free) Medical Clinic.