In Luke 15, Jesus tells a story that many of us know well—the parable of the prodigal son. This is a story that speaks not only to the heart of God but also to the hearts of those who have ever felt lost, broken, or unworthy. It’s a story that teaches us about grace, forgiveness, and the unrelenting love of a father who is always ready to welcome home his wayward children.
The parable begins with a younger son asking his father for his share of the inheritance, a request that would have been deeply offensive in that culture. Essentially, he was saying, “I want what’s mine, and I want it now,” implying that he wished his father were already dead. In response, the father grants his request and divides his estate between his two sons. The younger son leaves home, squanders his wealth in reckless living, and finds himself destitute, feeding pigs, longing to eat the same food the pigs were eating. At his lowest point, he comes to his senses and decides to return to his father, not expecting to be received as a son but hoping simply to be treated as one of his father’s hired servants.
But what happens next is where the heart of the parable comes alive. As the son approaches home, we read that “while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him” (Luke 15:20). The father, overjoyed that his son has returned, orders a feast to be prepared in celebration. He doesn’t lecture his son. He doesn’t make him work to prove his worthiness. He simply welcomes him home, fully restored.
The Father’s Love and Grace
It’s easy to get caught up in the actions of the younger son, in his wandering and his repentance, but the true focus of the parable is on the father. The father represents God’s love for us—a love that is unconditional, unrelenting, and ever-ready to forgive. When the son returns, broken and ashamed, the father doesn’t hesitate to run to him with open arms. The father’s joy is not based on the son’s worthiness, but on the fact that the son was lost and is now found. The father’s love didn’t change, even when the son was distant and rebellious.
The message for us is clear: We, too, are called to reflect that same love and grace when others return to the faith. The prodigal son did not come home saved. The Bible never mentions that he was spiritually transformed before returning, only that he was repentant and ready to humble himself before his father. It’s important to recognize that his return was about relationship, not redemption. Redemption came later, after the son was welcomed home.
This should challenge us in how we view those who have wandered from the faith. When someone returns to God—whether a family member, a friend, or a fellow believer—it’s not our place to judge their worthiness. We should not expect them to be “saved” before they return, nor should we criticize them for their past mistakes. Like the father in the parable, our role is to welcome them home with open arms, just as they are.
Waiting with Faith and Gladness
But there’s another important lesson in this parable—one that we often overlook—the role of the father while the son was away. The father did not become bitter or angry during the years his son was living in sin. He didn’t hold grudges or question his son’s motives when he left. Instead, he waited with faith and hope, constantly looking for his son to return. His heart was full of expectation, and when that moment finally arrived, he didn’t hesitate to embrace his son, forgiving him without question.
As Christians, we are called to adopt that same posture of waiting. When loved ones or friends wander away from the faith, it can be easy to become discouraged, frustrated, or even bitter. We might wonder why they haven’t returned sooner, or question if they will ever come back. But the father’s example shows us that we must wait with faith and gladness, trusting that God is working in ways we cannot see. We cannot become embittered in the waiting; instead, we are called to hold on to the hope that Jesus will bring the lost home, in His perfect timing.
The father’s joy when his son returned was not because the son had earned it. It wasn’t because the son had done enough to deserve it. It was simply because the son had returned, and that was all that mattered. As the father said, “For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found” (Luke 15:24).
A Message to believers: Welcome the Lost
In the church today, we often find ourselves in a similar position as the older brother in the parable. The older brother, upon hearing of the celebration for his younger sibling, becomes angry and resentful. He complains that he has worked hard for his father all these years, and yet he never received a feast. The father responds, “My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found” (Luke 15:31-32).
We, too, must guard against the temptation to become bitter when others receive grace and forgiveness. The church is a place for broken people, and the moment we start to think that anyone is undeserving of God’s grace is the moment we forget how much grace we ourselves have received. The older brother’s complaint reveals an underlying truth: we all need to remember that God’s love is for everyone. No one is too far gone, and no one is beyond redemption.
Conclusion: A Call to Receive the Prodigal Son
As followers of Christ, we are called to reflect the father’s heart in the parable of the prodigal son. We are called to love the lost, to wait with hope, and to receive those who return with open arms. We must not expect the prodigal to return saved, but we can trust that God will work in their hearts once they are home. Our job is to welcome them without hesitation, knowing that their return is a reason for celebration.
In the end, it’s not about whether someone deserves grace—it’s about whether we, as the body of Christ, are willing to offer it. Like the father in the parable, our only concern should be that the lost are found, and that the prodigal has returned home. Let us be a church that welcomes the lost with open arms, just as our Heavenly Father does.
