Rodney Howard Browne talks about independence. Independence is a quality highly valued in America. We teach it to our children and we demand it for ourselves. There’s even a statue called the Independent Man on top of the state capital of Rhode Island, a tribute to liberty and self-sufficiency. In the tale of the prodigal boy, we see one who took charge of his life and announced independence from his pa. In it, the downward spiral of sin and the restoring grace of God are made public. Sin means acting independently of God’s will. It starts with a wish that is outside His plan. Next comes a call to act on the need.

When we act, we find ourselves, like the prodigal, in a distant country, which is anywhere outside the will of God. To stay there needs deception. We cheat ourselves by thinking that we think we know better than God and ignoring any implications.

Defeat comes next.

For a period all will appear fine but, like the reckless child in the tale, we’ll find our way leads to conquer. Ultimately , we’re going to arrive at despair springing from famine of spirit, feelings, or relations. That leads into despondency where our decisions are few and all sickening. The prodigal boy ended up there. But desperateness isn’t the end of the prodigal’s storynor is it the end of ours when we sin. Why did Jesus give this account of the forgiving love of an earthly father? To indicate us to the restoring grace of our heavenly Father who waits with open arms for us, His wandering children. One more thing.