What Prepares Us to Leave Home Permanently?

I love Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son, a story about a young man whose choices resulted in a personal crisis. This young man wanted to be free from all the restraints he believed were keeping him from experiencing the world he imagined was waiting for him. Does this sound familiar?

Most people leave home to go to college, go to work, or get married, but this young man was leaving home with immature objectives. His immaturity blinded him to the realities that awaited him from an assortment of so-called new friends. He had no idea how easily he could be separated from his inheritance.

Wake-up calls come from many sources to help us change what leads to hardships. God does not delight when we fail or when we suffer humiliation. He provides opportunities for us to change the direction our life has taken. So trust in the Lord and do what is right and he will give you the desires of your heart that fit his purpose.        

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Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.

~Proverbs 3:5-6 The Message

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Leaving Home

Jacob grew up feeling a deep sense of attachment to his mother. His brother Esau was close to the father. We see this same dynamic in contemporary families even though the circumstances and culture are different. Personality and temperament can influence a child to identify with one parent, which gives the appearance of favoritism and paves the way for sibling rivalry.

Favoritism most often opens the door for self-centeredness. Self-centeredness can be so deliberately expressed, there can be no mistake identifying it. On the other hand, self-centeredness can be expressed so creatively, you may feel that person is doing you a favor by using you for their good.

Self-centeredness can be linked to feelings of fear and inadequacy, leaving a person believing if they look right, act right, these feelings will remain concealed. When we commit our deficiencies to Christ Jesus, they lose their power to control our lives. “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Have you committed your life to Jesus? Why not do it now?

Come Out of the "Pig Pen": Rethink Your Choices - Part 3

The parable of the prodigal son is appealing because most everyone can identify with his dilemma. Our society requires that we grow up and become independent. Although this is a natural process, it's not always simple or easy. Some young people make several attempts before succeeding. Leaving home can propel a young person into an uncertain future.

The young man in Jesus' parable made serious mistakes that left him in despair. Remarkably, he didn't blame others for his failure. Nor did he try to rationalize or justify his immaturity, poor judgments, or bad behavior. To justify or rationalize means to absolve oneself of blame in order to be free of responsibility for personal choices.

The prodigal son reframed who he could be and thus freed himself to crawl out of the pig pen of failure. Reframing is the ability to put reality into an acceptable mental, spiritual, and emotional context so positive change can be activated. Christ Jesus stands at the door of your situation prepared to help you make life-changing decisions, so why not invite him to do so?

Crisis and Reality - Part 2

In the parable of the prodigal son Jesus relates how a young man, his older brother, and a father came face to face with reality. The younger son demanded that his father immediately give him his inheritance. Days later this young man sold his inheritance, packed his stuff, and left home. What do you think the father felt as his son walked out the door?

If your children have left home or are ready to do so, maybe you can identify somewhat with the ambivalence this parent felt experiencing his son's leaving home to find his way in the world. Leaving home takes determination, courage, and dreams. It's not whether you leave home, but what attitude motivates you to do so.

In this parable the young man left home with false assumptions that evolved into a life-threatening crisis. Someone said, "We cling dogmatically to our assumptions as long as possible." We often experience pain and suffering by acting on false assumptions. Yet God in his mercy helps us correct the plunge into crisis and return to the loving Father's love and forgiveness.