Open Endings

 

 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘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

The story of the prodigal son has been a recurrent theme for me for years and recently it’s been a fairly constant companion. On close inspection and upon serious delving into it, I find that I am and/or have been every one of those three characters many times. I desire to be the Father. That is the kind of heart I want to have and to share. During my time with the story I’ve been able to identify a few places where I have been successful with that, with having and giving a version of that open armed, unconditional love. That is great, considering that being able to live life with that attitude is the goal.

          I’m a person who hates the end of books, not because the story is over but because I have to give up the characters. Well written, richly developed characters draw me in and when the story ends I want them to stay. I want to know what happens to them next. The three main players in the prodigal story, father, son and elder brother are extremely rich and deep characters. I am very drawn into the drama that is illustrated in Luke 15. Then it ends. Kid’s home, dad’s thrilled, older brother is….well, he’s not thrilled, that’s for sure! Then what? Read the verse again, that’s the end. No! I need to know what happened next.

          The father says to the older brother, everything I have is yours. Does the older brother then begin to live with the confidence of one who is loved and has all the provisions that he needs? Does the younger son truly understand the magnitude of what his father has done for him? Does the father recover from the betrayal? Is he able to build and sustain a new relationship with both boys? I want to know!

          It’s a good news/bad news thing. I can know, at least in my own life what the outcomes are whenever I see myself in the story. The bad news? We are not characters in a parable intended to enlighten and guide. We are real fallible human beings.

          The prodigal sons come back but do they embrace the fathers? Is there always a sense of accountability? Do they always see the hurt they’ve brought into the father’s life? No.

          Some father’s run, just like the one in the parable. Some stand back but open their arms when the son shows up. Some allow the son the exact thing he came over to get, a place on the staff.

          The older brother? If he gets it is the happiest of men. He is loved! No striving, proving or working necessary and yet those things are always applauded by the father. If he doesn’t get it and instead holds onto his bitterness, as my dear friend Bella would say, “poor him!”

          I love the parable and I’ve learned so much. It has blessed my life in ways I could not have imagined. Unfortunately I’ve also come to realize that it is open ended, not just in the Bible but in life. All of us, sons, brothers and fathers alike have free will. I still want to know the rest of the story and hopefully one day, when I get Home, I will.