Lessons from the story of the prodigal son (Part II)

Galatians 4:1-4,7, “I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son… 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” 

Have you ever heard the story of this man who worked hard and saved a small fortune to be able to afford a cruise across the Atlantic with his wife? He paid for their tickets and with what was left, he bought a few provisions. Back then, it used to take several weeks to cross the Ocean and despite their frugality, their rations finished a few days before the end of the journey. They tried to resist for two days in their cabin; but it was too much and the man went out to look for the captain and beg for something to eat, explaining how they could not afford a meal, because they had invested all they had in the purchase of tickets. You can only imagine his shock when a stunned captain told him that they just had to go to the dining room and eat: accommodation, catering and entertainment were all included in the fares! Just imagine: for weeks, they had smelled the delicious food prepared in the kitchens; from their ‘room’, they had listened the Orchestra play; they had not participated in anything, thinking they were not entitled to whatsoever; and now, a day or two before the end of the adventure they had so dreamed about, they learn that in fact, all those hardship was unnecessary and even stupid… 

Well, in the story of the prodigal son, the elder brother reflects the image of this man. He lived in abundance, yet he had a mentality of a slave, of servant, instead of the mentality of a son. Didn’t he say himself: “'Look, these many years I have served you’. I've never disobeyed a command of yours. Yet you've never given me so much as a young goat so that I could celebrate with my friends”? His obedience was not natural and his service was a coercive one. Indeed, he had never disobeyed his father but its seems as though it was not a natural thing for him. That seems to be generating a certain moral tension in him. And his reply shows that during all those years, he was secretly wishing to throw a party with his friends but never dared to ask. Servants do not have the right to help themselves at will in their masters refrigerators or attics; but when the sons come, they take what they want without having to give account, because all those things have generally been purchased for them. 

Are SONS/DAUGHTERS expected to serve or not? Of course they are. Nonetheless, they don’t serve like workers who are expecting a reward or a salary; they don’t serve only when they are hungry or in order to satisfy a need: they serve by pure pleasure. Children quite often serve grudgingly; but true SONS and DAUGHTERS serve like heirs who are already taking care of their inheritance: “His father said to him: ‘my child, … everything I have is yours.” They are busy growing their parents’ businesses- which is also theirs – in order to perpetuate the family name. They have no need therefore, to enumerate the list of their achievements. 

Indeed, when you're SON or DAUGHTER of, you have nothing to prove and no prey to grasp: you just content yourself TO BE who you are. Hence, when Satan said: "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread", Jesus refused to comply. Not only had He no order to receive from the devil, but most importantly, He had nothing to prove: "If you don't know who I am, I do and that is enough. I know I can do it, I have no doubt about My powers but this is neither the place nor the time to perform miracles. 

Who are you the son or the daughter of? If you know who you are and if you are convinced of it, why are you fighting? Why are you restless? It is important to know who we are. Very often we find ourselves doing useless things because for a moment, we have totally forgotten or lost sight of our identity. 

Galatians 4:6, “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts…”

Thus, the Spirit of God only comes into our hearts because we are sons; yet, where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom and we were called to freedom (2Corinthians 3:17, Galatians 5:13). Hence, SONS (and DAUGHTERS) are free and are aware of it. They know they can freely enjoy EVERYTHING, but they do not use this freedom as an opportunity to the flesh (Galatians 4:19). They naturally know the boundaries and their parents can trust them. They don’t need to be constantly reminded not to do this or that. Whereas one must always be behind a child if one wants to avoid monumental blunders. A SON thinks and says: "I can kill a fattened calf every day if I wish; I can invite friends home every weekend; I can even wear my 'Sunday clothes' every day if I want: EVERYTHING is mine and ALL IS LAWFUL TO ME but, I won't do it, because it is not useful. It will not bring me anything.’’ 

‘‘Yet you've never given me so much as a young goat so that I could celebrate with my friends. But this son of yours spent your money on prostitutes, and when he came back, you killed the fattened calf for him!' True SONS and DAUGHTERS know that their destiny is different from their brothers and that they don’t necessarily need the same things, TO BE or TO BECOME. They know that their parents love them and that none of their siblings can ‘steal’ away from them, the love that is due to them. So, they don’t envy and they are not jealous. On the contrary, kids always make comparisons: “Huuh, you’ve given him a bigger piece than mine! ” 

A SON/DAUGHTER would have understood that the little brother had gone through hell and that all his sufferings, as well as those of his parents, were about to end, and it would have been sufficient to gladden his heart: “I praise You O my God, because You are Great. You Alone could do such a wonder in my brother’s life. I thank You because Daddy is smiling again; thank You because once more, there is joy in this house. Lord, let him feel loved and enough at ease to never wish to go back. Daddy is not the only one who has found his son back, I have also have my brother back.” 

 

Finally, the story of the prodigal son is a call to maturity. And if you put these lessons together with what I shared on divine provision and on the manner of prayer of Jesus, by God’s grace, you will tap into something that will help your faith take gigantic leaps. You will discover how to live without lack and without stress. 

I repeat: “…The heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son… 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” So: slave? Under guardianship or owner/master? The ball is in your court.

God bless you and help you become a true son or daughter of His.