The Selfishness of the Prodigal Son

I'm listening to Keith Green's Prodigal Son Suite (which is beautiful, if you've never listened to it, and you should open it in a second tab while reading), and was reminded of something that I've wondered for a while, something that I've never heard anyone mention. When the son gets done enjoying all the things he wasn't allowed to do while growing up, all of a sudden finds that he has neither money nor friends remaining, he also finally takes a good look at his surroundings. All of a sudden, he realizes that everybody else is suffering under the effects of a severe famine. Like, hello dude, were you that ignorant to what was going around? Surely you must have noticed the hike in food prices, or the decrease in wine quality of late. Or the increase in beggars? But of course, you were too busy partying and enjoying yourself to give money away.

I sort of wonder if it might not be the hidden message in the story. There are plenty of sermons on the love of the Father for us, or what the Older vs. Younger brother thing at the end means, but never a thought to the rest of the parabolic land still suffering. Certainly Jesus wants us to know that the Father is abounding in mercy and forgiveness, and we can go as crazy-rebellious as can be imagined, but repentance will still get us a place in the house, and a celebratory feast. But he also subtly reminds us to look around, and realize that we might be only a step away from having to sell our labor for a share in the pigs' meal.

If I am correct in saying that America (and much of the First World, as well as the wealthy everywhere) sins collectively through flagrant materialism--and the churches are sometimes the most conspicuous in this--then perhaps the hidden message from the Prodigal Son is this: a reminder that a desire to give our hearts away to God is not enough. He desires that we be perfect, and sell our possessions, give to the poor, make our treasure entirely in heaven, and then come follow Him. The wedding feast is open to us when we have nothing.

I'm not always quite sure how to put the desire to follow into tangible action, so if you have any ideas, let's work them out together!

To finish, as a quick reminder to turn your head and take a look at the world, here's a good BBC article about the current famine situation in Africa. It may be across an ocean, but if you're a Christian, then you're called to care, because these people are Jesus. If you ignore the least of these, guess who you're ignoring? Just sayin'....


(Picture grabbed from here: http://www.scienceclarified.com/scitech/Genetics/The-Age-of-Genetics.html)
Verses: Mt 19:16-30, Lk 14:7-24, 15:11-32.