Inspirational Stories
Recognize our Need
Luke 15:14 - "... and he began to be in need."
The parable of the prodigal has spoken mountains as of late, studying it for breakfast, studying it for prayer. It hasn’t moved any mountains for me though, not any I can see anyway.
Or has it?
Every read has produced a new treasure, a new nuance, a new angle and I wonder if Jesus intended it to do so. I wonder if he intended to speak mountains. I wonder if he intended the parable to move mountains.
This morning I read the young prodigal lived as he pleased (13) but when troubles came he “began to be in need” (14). Genuine need makes beggars of us all. After years in the faith, I am still but a beggar, a reformed prodigal of sorts, living with other prodigals. If we could only recognize our need, mountains might be moved after all.
Luke15:16 – “But no one gave him anything…”
The prodigal learned the difficult lesson that, when push comes to shove, the world simply doesn’t care. He found little compassion among his contemporaries, little compassion among any so called friends, little compassion among those whom he wasted away his time and money with.
When the chips were down, he was alone. His wreckless expenditures of selfishness and foolishness left him reaping loneliness and hunger.
The prodigal learned the hard way the world can be unrelentingly cruel. He longed for no more than pig food but was left empty handed and with an empty stomach.
No one gave the prodigal anything. No one but the father that is.
In a hardened world, where can we turn for mercy? We know the answer to that. But we should remember too in a world full of prodigals, the Father’s mercy must be found in the lives of reformed prodigals. How hopeless this world will seem if we prodigals reborn to new life don’t act as our father did when he showed mercy to you and me.
John Richter
Minister of Parish Life
St. John's Evangelical Protestant Church
Cullman, AL