The Prodigals

I’m sure we’ve heard about one of the popular stories of the Bible- The Prodigal Son. When that story is read or told, there is the tendency to see just the prodigal son; The one who demanded his inheritance prematurely, squandered it all in wild living, and came crawling back in shame. And the part that moves us most is his gracious welcome: a father running toward him, arms wide open, heart already forgiven.. Luke 15:11-32

A few years ago, I heard a new perspective—one that reframed the parable in a powerful way. It was about the Prodigal Father. Inspired by Timothy Keller’s book The Prodigal God, this view suggests another “reckless” person in the story— the father shedding light on God's reckless Love for us. .

You see, the word prodigal doesn’t mean “rebellious” or “wayward.” It means recklessly extravagant, wastefully lavish. The younger son was prodigal in how he handled his wealth. But the father? He was prodigal in how he gave his love. Lavish. Undeserved. Uncalculated. His forgiveness wasn’t cautious or conditional. It was free-flowing and without hesitation. A love that gives up his only son for humanity...

Recently, I’ve come to see that there’s yet another side to this parable—a “third side of the coin,” if you will. 

We often overlook the elder brother, but his role is just as revealing. While he stayed home and “followed the rules,” his heart was distant. His bitterness revealed that he didn’t really understand his father—or himself. When he learned of the celebration thrown for his wayward brother, he didn’t rejoice. He resented.

And here’s the part that stunned me: When the father comes out to plead with him, he says, “Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.” (Luke 15:31) Wait—all that the father had was already his? And he didn’t know it? That’s a different kind of recklessness.

The elder brother was reckless in his awareness. He was surrounded by abundance yet lived with a scarcity mindset. He was so focused on earning approval that he didn’t realize he already had full access to everything. He didn’t need to beg, earn, or strive. He only needed to ask.

So in truth, this is not just a parable about a Prodigal son, but a family of prodigals:

A younger son who was reckless in his spending.
A father who was reckless in his love.
An elder son who was reckless in his awareness.

And maybe... just maybe we can all find ourselves somewhere in this family. Some of us have wandered and squandered. We’ve taken what God has given us and wasted it on lesser things, we need to come crawling back in need of grace. Some of us have been like the elder brother—close to God in proximity but far in intimacy. We’ve labored, served, followed the rules...and yet we’ve missed the joy. We’ve missed the access. We’ve missed the relationship.

The enemy loves to keep us unaware. He wants us either squandering what we have, resenting what others receive, or too distracted to notice the blessings right in front of us. And all of us have been welcomed by a Father who runs—not walks—runs toward us with open arms.

Prayer

Father, thank You for being prodigal in Your love—reckless, extravagant, and without measure. Forgive me for the times I’ve squandered Your gifts or failed to recognize what I already have access to. Teach me to live with awareness, gratitude, and intimacy. Help me walk in the fullness of Your house—not as a stranger, but as a beloved child. Amen.