The Prodigal Son

some thoughts on how we talk about God

“Good souls many will one day be horrified at the things they now believe of God.” - George MacDonald

A man had two sons. 
The younger of them said to his father, 
"Father give me the share of the estate 
That falls to me." So he divided his 
Wealth between them. 

And not many days later, the younger
Son gathered everything together
And went on a journey to a distant 
Country, and there he squandered his
Estate with loose living. 

Now when he had spent everything, a 
Severe famine occurred in that country,
And he began to be impoverished. 

So he went and hired himself out to 
One of the citizens of that country, and
He sent him into his fields to feed swine. 
And he would have gladly filled
His stomach with the pods that the swine
Were eating, and no one was giving
Anything to him. 

But when he came to his senses, he said. 
"How many of my father's hired men 
Have more than enough bread, but I am 
Dying here with hunger! I will get up
And go to my father, and I will say to him, 
'Father, I have sinned against heaven, and 
In your sight; I am no longer worthy to be
Called your son; make me as one of your 
Hired men.'" So he got up and came to his 
Father. 

Now, his brother was working in the field
At a place where he could see the house 
And the road but where someone at the 
House could not see that section of the 
Road on account of the hill. And as he 
Lifted his eyes and wiped sweat from his 
Brow, he saw his brother coming down the 
Road, ready to top the hill. At this time, 
His father came out onto the porch and 
Looked towards the horizon, as was his 
Custom ever since his younger son left 
Home. Being filled with rage at his brother's 
Treachery, he threw down his hoe and ran 
In a frenzy towards his brother. 

"What are you doing here?" 

          "Brother, I have sinned against heaven 
          And in the sight of father. I'm no longer
          Worthy to be called his son. I've come
          To ask to be treated as a servant, 
          But I'm not even worthy of that."

"You are exactly right. Everything you have 
Said is true, and I'll be damned if you even
Lay eyes on my father. Do you know that 
He has been standing on that porch every
Day waiting for you to come home? He can't
Wait to see you top that hill so that he can
Pour out his vengeance on you, you worm. 
Greed is wrong. Adultery is sin. Waste is 
Damnable. Drunkenness is worthy of Hell. 
In fact, that's exactly where you're headed. 
How dare you even think you're worthy 
Of coming back here begging for forgiveness. 
Unless you bring back every penny you stole, 
Unless you work for years to pay off your debt, 
Unless you labor for decades as less than a 
Slave to prove your worth, I don't want to 
See you here ever again."

The father, knowing 
The self-righteousness 
Of his older son and 
Seeing him sprint 
Across the field, 
Knew his son had 
Come home. 
Although he began 
Running, he arrived too 
Late. The damage 
Had been done. 

He put his arms around both of his boys 
And said, "You are both my sons. Run 
Into far countries, curse my name, 
Offend me, bring shame upon me--
Nothing will stop my love for you. I'll 
Always accept you back into my arms. 
My son, isn't it enough that your 
Brother's heart was pricked ever since 
He left? Isn't enough that he knew the 
Whole time he was gone that he was in 
The wrong? Isn't it enough that he came 
To his senses in the pit? Isn't it enough 
That he even trusted me enough to 
Come home, even if his reasons weren't 
Totally pure? And why are you telling him 
About his sins? Doesn't he know them far 
Better than yourself? Don't you have your 
Own sins to worry about?"

But the father's words were to no avail. 
The older son's version of the father 
Was too much for the younger brother. 
Because of the delusion of the older 
Brother, the younger brother couldn't 
See his father's love. So he went away 
Under the illusion of separation, and 
Lived as a slave in another man's field. 
And the older brother continued 
Laboring for what he already had. 

And the father went back to his 
Place on the porch, waiting and watching. 

---

“And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. Luke 15:31

So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God. 1 Corinthians 3:21–23

The first part of the text is a quotation of Luke 15:1-19 in the NASB 95.