The Prodigal Son, or The Foolish and Wayward Son & the Compassionate and Forgiving Father

The Foolish and Wayward Son and the Compassionate and forgiving Father is an amazing illustration of humility and true forgiveness. Most people know this parable as the Prodigal Son. (Luke 15:11-32)

Unfortunately, many refer to this parable as the “Prodigal Son,” but the real focus is on the compassionate and forgiving father!

I’m going to paraphrase this parable for 2021 and see what we can learn from it today.

The Foolish Prodigal Son Takes the Money and Runs

There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, what do I get when you die? The father didn’t have his will made up yet so he made a will. Then the younger son said, give me my money (as with many, he had a problem with delayed gratification.).

A few days later the foolish son packed his bags and left home so he could do whatever he wanted. (Isn’t that what a lot of children want to do?!) So, he traveled to another country and wasted everything his father had given him on wild living. He didn’t think about still needing a place to stay and food to eat, so he spent it all girls, partying and playing games.

Life in the Pig Pen

After he spent every last penny doing what HE wanted, a famine hit the land and there was a food shortage. He couldn’t even call home and ask his dad to wire him some money since he lost his cell phone in all his foolish activity.

After a few days he realized that he was hungry for food, not just a fun life. So, he decided to try to get a job. It was hard to get a job because of the famine, but he finally got hired to take care of a farmer’s pigs.

As he watched the pigs get fed, he got even more hungry looking at their food, but nobody would even let him eat any of the pig’s food!

The Prodigal Son Comes to His Senses

He started to come to his senses and he thought to himself, “My dad has hired workers on his farm and they even have extra food, but I am starving to death on this pig farm and can’t even at their food!

So, the young man decided that he would head home and tell his father that he was wrong to have done all the bad things that he did.  He knew these bad things offended God and that they would hurt his father too if he knew what he had done.

The boy decided he would even tell his dad that he didn’t have a right to be called a son anymore but would ask to be hired on as a worker, just so he would have food to eat.

Anticipated & True Forgiveness

Since he didn’t have any bags to pack, the foolish boy got up and took off for home right away.

His father was out working in the fields and saw someone approaching his land, and although the boy was far away, the dad could tell that it was his son coming. Even though he didn’t know if he would ever see his son again, he still hoped that he would and his heart leapt for joy!

He was so happy, he jumped off his tractor and ran out to meet his son. His heart was filled with joy, but also compassion. When he got to his son he hugged and kissed him, it didn’t even matter that he smelled like a pig!

Time to Celebrate

The son was ashamed of what he had done and how he smelled, but he was amazed that his father was still so happy to see him. He said to his dad, “I was selfish and greedy and sinned against God and against you and I am no longer worthy to be part of the family…”

But his dad didn’t even let him finish. He told the hired hand to go buy the most fashionable and best clothes and put them on the son. He told him to get a ring for his finger and get him some Air Jordans while he was at it.  And on his way home to pick up some of the best steaks, and don’t forget dessert! Daddy wanted to get this party started!

Relationship Restored

Now we might think the story ends here and there is no more to learn from Jesus’ parable other than it is never too late to wise up and change and repent and seek forgiveness; or that we should have compassion on people and forgive them as God does, and restore the relationship when the person confesses their wrongdoing and asks to be forgiven.

We also see here that the Father had already forgiven his son because he was not holding on to resentment, when he saw the boy, he was very happy.  But, without the boy returning to him to seek forgiveness, the relationship could never be restored and total forgiveness given.

But the story continues…

Life isn’t Fair

The older hardworking and faithful son heard all the celebrating, and he wanted to know what the special occasion was.  When he heard that his dad was throwing a party because his foolish little brother came back smelling like a pig, he became jealous and resentful. (Can you relate to that?)

We can surely understand why! He had stayed home to help work on his father’s farm and never even got a little party, and now his brother who wasted half his father’s fortune running around chasing girls, and playing and having fun, came back and his dad was throwing a party! It just wasn’t fair!!

A Hard Heart

He went and complained to his father and threw a fit and wouldn’t even go say hi to his brother, and refused to go to the party.  He told his dad that he faithfully worked like a dog every day for him and obeyed and did everything he asked him to do, and never even got anything extra to have a party with his friends. It just wasn’t fair! (Do you ever say that to your parents?)

His dad just reminded him that everything else he had was his and the reason he was happy about his foolish brother coming home was that he had been lost and didn’t even know if he would ever see the boy again. He thought he was dead, but he was still alive!

Heaven Rejoices for Each Prodigal Son or Daughter that Returns Home

The Bible tells us that there is great joy in heaven over every sinner who wakes up, turns around, and seeks God’s forgiveness. There is more joy for this one sinner than for hundreds of righteous people who don’t need to repent. (Luke 15:7)

Now, this isn’t saying that God isn’t happy about those who obey and love Him. God knows that they already have a great reward when Jesus returns to establish His Kingdom; but the sinner is one wayward and foolish child that has changed his ways and has chosen to return to his Maker, his Father, and will now to be in the Kingdom.

God is that same compassionate and loving Father who is faithful to forgive any sin if we confess it, repent (turn away from it and stop doing it), and choose to obey Him.

It is Never Too Late

It is never too late to come home as long as you are alive. Our Father in heaven also runs to meet His humble and repentant wayward children with open arms, even if they smell like pigs.  He will help clean them up and there will be great rejoicing!

Now is the time to return home before it is too late.  Jesus told another parable about a wedding and how some foolish people missed out because they didn’t wise up and get ready in time and missed the banquet.

No matter what you have done, are doing, or will do, you can always make the choice to STOP and return to your Father.  Don’t wait until you are forced to feed pigs.  Stop running from home, from God, or even from yourself.

Choose Forgiveness & Cleansing

Admit your errors and all of your rebellious sin and fall on your knees before your Father and ask to be forgiven.

He is faithful and will forgive your sins as far as the east is from the west. And even though you smell like a pig and are stained with the blood of sin, He will clean you and make you like fresh snow.  Humble yourself and come into your Father’s embrace, living in a pigsty is not that great! (Psalm 103:12, Isaiah 1:18, 1 John 1:9)

Righteous Children Rewarded Too (You don’t Have to be a Prodigal Child)

And to you good children, the righteous ones who have chosen to do what is right and obey God, this pleases your Father very much, your Heavenly Father and your earthly parents. Just don’t let your heart become prideful and become eviler than the ones who are living in sin. You have a great inheritance and a Father that loves you as well, so keep living that way!

And for the fathers, mothers, or anyone who has the power in their hands to forgive and restore, make sure you have a humble and forgiving heart. No offense against us is greater than our own offense before God, our Heavenly Father.  Forgive as you have been forgiven, or in the same way, you will be judged. (Matthew 6:14)

The Grace of the Compassionate and Forgiving Father

And the last thing to remember, the Father didn’t HAVE to forgive the son, even if he was broken and asked to be forgiven. We see God’s GRACE here. God doesn’t HAVE TO forgive us if we ask, but when we acknowledge our sin and repent and seek His forgiveness, HE CHOOSES to show us grace and wants to forgive us and have a relationship with us. It is by His grace we are forgiven, not by us asking. But in order to receive His grace, we must ask for it. It is there for everyone. Jesus wants everyone to be at the big party when he returns; do you want to be at it? Just quit rolling with the pigs and go to your Father! It is as easy as that!