Artist: Pompeo BatoniHere's something I found on Sermon Nuggets by Lindy Black:
I do think we need to remember that the Father was also a prodigal in this story!The parable of a prodigal Father, the wandering and repentance of a younger son, and a resentful firstborn brother. (Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32)
-We seldom hear the word prodigal used outside the context of this parable, and people often mistakenly assume that it means "bad." Instead, prodigal means generous, abundant, or wasteful, so prodigality is not necessarily bad. God created species and resources prodigally (abundantly), and it was good (Genesis 1:31). A philanthropist can give money prodigally (generously) to a good cause. In this parable, prodigal takes on a negative tone because the younger son "squandered his property in dissolute living" (v. 13), spending his money prodigally (wastefully).
"Prodigal" means "spends what isn't his to give away" or "more than is needed" or "gives away what isn't his to give away".
ReplyDeleteNaturally, as someone who enjoys wasting time at something that's only a job for people who think there's someone invisible for them and you to talk to, this makes sense.
You want to be "prodigal"? Spend your own money stupidly on people who'll waste it. Don't tell me that I'm like the oldest son just because I don't want to feed my deadbeat relatives-and then have the nerve to say that there's an Invisible Being who's angry with me for showing them the door.