The Prodigal Son

In discussing this parable today at church our instructor suggested that this parable be called “The parable of the two sons,” because there are lessons to be learned from both the son that strayed and the son that stayed.

As this parable is well-known I won’t summarize it for you, but encourage you to read through it and notice the processes that each of the three men go through: The father who allows his sons their inheritances early and does not stop them from deciding what to do with it; the son who wasted his inheritance only to fall into despair and humbly return home; and the son who stayed with his father and lived well in spite of the famine in the land, only to be angry and jealous when his brother returned and was welcomed with open arms.