Restoration of the Prodigals

“Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth.” Isaiah 43:5-6 (N.I.V)

A prodigal is someone who is recklessly and wastefully extravagant of their life and resources as in the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). In the parable, the prodigal son went through a process of rebellion, ruin, repentance, reconciliation, and restoration. Many prodigals stay too long in the stages of rebellion and ruin, taking only their own counsel and that of other misguided friends; that parents, guardians and other well wishers feel they have nothing else to do but pray, and leave their houses open to hope.

Recently I watched a drama where an unruly highly promiscuous teenager constantly rejected the advice of her guardian to shape up. Even upon the teenager’s desolation on finding out that she was HIV positive she told her guardian, “You are an old woman, what do you know that can help me?” Instead of getting angry, the guardian found a successful young woman to talk to her. The lady had gone through similar delinquency, became HIV positive, but later took control of her life to get a good education, a career and a family. She was able to instil hope to the teenager who had become suicidal.

Often, people (especially teenagers) are more willing to take the advice of someone other than their parents or guardians and the help of upstanding peers and professional counselors should be explored. We should all in the name of Christian charity also try to help others who are undergoing experiences that we have endured and successfully resolved. “Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 43:6)

“Love never reasons, but profusely gives; it gives like a thoughtless prodigal it’s all, and then trembles least it has done too little”. John Ciardi