I’m old enough to go my way
I want my estate, it is my right
I want it now, life is too short
I must go live my life my way.
A young man walked up to his dad and made what seemed a sacrilegious demand. “Whatever will be mine when you die, I want them now. I can’t wait for you to die because I don’t know when that will ever happen. Time is short, I can’t suspend my future and enjoyment waiting for your death. I want to go away to enjoy whatever is mine before time passes me by.” He may not have used these words but most likely, his action said even much more.
His father reached beyond the wound just inflicted upon his loving heart by his younger son, who probably was his favorite of the two, as he went through his estate and gave the young man his portion. Feeling happy and accomplished, the young man took his treasure and left in pursuit of a brand of pleasure he could not find in his father’s house. He went to a far country, where nobody from his past could intervene and mess up his amusement. He wanted no part in or reminders of the past. He wanted to be a free rich man who could come and go as he pleased, with whoever he preferred. To do whatever he wanted without looking over his shoulders or bothering about what his family would make of his actions. He didn’t want family anymore so he cut the ties for good.
As is typical with life, after a while, a strange wind began to blow in his new country of residence. All shakeable tumbled as things turned upside down for the young man. Before he realized what hit him, everything that made him a rich boy was gone with the wind! He recalled too late that a wise man once said that riches grow wings and fly away when least expected. It dawned on him how lonely life could be as his party friends hastily departed. He had nowhere to go to for help because he was living very far from home. There was no one to turn to. Too ashamed to beg, he decided to work his way up again, “After all I am young, capable and smart. I can make it on my own.” But all his labor fetched could not even afford him what the swine ate.
He paid dearly for his foolhardiness until eventually he decided he was better off a slave in his country, with his people and to his father, than in a strange place where nobody cared and nothing worked for him as expected. He took the remnants of his raggedness and began to retrace his steps home. Many of us have heard and told the story of this prodigal son but we forget that despite his temerity, suffering imparted on him something comfort couldn’t: the value of his father, his community and his country; value for all he had and took for granted. He realized amidst his dilemma that where he left was way better than where he ended up. The fact that he recognized that he had made a bad move, that he did repent, make the decision to return home and followed it up with action brought him into the arena of redemption.
Who has never made mistakes in their lives? How many of us are living and hurting in our mistakes? How many of us today, like this young man can look back and say, “I messed up. I need to go back and make things right?” It’s often not an easy decision but it is always worth it. May God’s grace help us recognize where we erred, to repent, make the right decisions and take the steps to our Father who never fails to forgive, and towards our redemption. Amen.
Blessings
Glory!