Luke 15 tells the story of the Prodigal son. The more I reflect on this simple tale, the more depth that I see. In the opening chapter of the book Listening to His Heartbeat, I use the story to give us entrance into the heart of God. It does do that, but there is clearly more here.
The story invites us all to consider which role we might play in the story. Am I the younger son seeking satisfaction far from my roots? Or could I be the stubborn older brother busy protecting my own turf? Jesus seems to be pushing us toward neither option, but calling us to be like the compassionate father.
The story covers all the major truths of our faith. The younger boy sins, but repents, confesses and is welcomed back. The father responds with compassion and grace. The older brother centers on a works righteousness that leads to his own misery. It’s a dictionary of Christian doctrinal truths.
The story rehearses God’s mission. The context of the story is that the religious people object to Jesus being with sinners (Lk 15:1-2). Jesus tells three stories to recall why God continually comes to earth. He seeks the outsider, the lost sheep, the missing coin, the wayward sons. The story of the Prodigal son is “go into all the world” in story form.
What do you see in this story? I’m open to some other ideas. A few are floating around in my head. Let me know how the story of the Prodigal son has touched you.
In its original setting it is a critique of the Pharisees and scribes (Luke 15:2) who should have rejoiced at the fact that tax collectors and sinners (15:1) were hungering to hear more about God. Instead they grumbled, just like the older brother in the story. The point is, those of us who have been around the block a few times, religiously speaking, should not look down on those who have been far away from God, especially when they are seeking. Instead, we need to welcome them in just as the father does. So I am not sure Jesus is asking his hearers to try to relate to one or the other. Instead he is labeling those around him as one or the other and let scribes and Pharisees hear his stinging rebuke and lets the “sinners” hear how they are welcomed with love. To me, we either are the older brother or the younger. We are either those who have been Christians for a long time or we are those who are just getting interested in what God has desired for their lives for a long, long time. Being the older brother is not a bad thing as long as we don’t act like he did. The challenge is to take the position of the older brother and love the younger just as much as the father does. If we find ourselves in the position of the younger brother, we hope the older brothers among us will welcome us back when we goof up.
Dr. Shank,
You may not remember me, but we met at the Urban Ministry Conference at the Contact Church of Christ in Tulsa in 2001. At that time, my wife and I were in the middle of the adoption process. We met again at the conference in Little Rock in 2003 (where we introduced you to our baby who had been adopted about 9 months earlier). I wanted to let you know that your books were a great source of encouragement to my wife and me as we became involved in urban ministry and in adoption. Every time I get the chance, I recommend “Up Close and Personal” and “Children Mean the World to God.” Thanks for being a blessing to people like us!