The Prodigal Problem

The Prodigal Son received his part of his father’s inheritance so he could experience life, he wanted to go his own way. He went stayed in lavish places and spent the money like it was nothing to him. When the money ran dry (because he did not work) he was left to find the work of a servant feeding pigs (an insulting profession for a Jew).  Of course he goes home and asks forgiveness which is freely given and the story has a good ending, but how would this work in today’s world.
The modern view of this individual can be called part of the “Entitlement”, the “Kid with Parents who Give In”, or “I got free money for college, how can I spend it” generations. These young folks are trying to find their place in the world. The search for identity sometimes leads to dangerous situations where people find themselves a pawn in a temporary human cause that fades away in history with either positive or negative results.
An example of this is the young person that decides to use their time after High School to explore the world, becomes trapped in a situation they cannot get out from and calls the parents to find relief. Some parents will send money, some will say you got yourself into the mess get yourself out. The latter are giving the tough love while the former are giving false reliance on material things. The issue is what would you do here? Buy a plane ticket and get the child home or let them suffer and deal with the consequences on their own.
Our youth need to understand that the safety net is not completely free, there is a price. We welcome them home but they should understand that there are responsibilities. When the Prodigal Son came home, he was greeted with open arms and was given a welcoming worthy of a prince. He was then given the responsibility to tell others the dangers of going it alone. When we are welcomed home we are obligated to tell others of His Saving Grace.
Brothers and Sisters the son in the story is us and the father in the story is God. When we fall away or try to do things on our own without the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we make ourselves more susceptible to temptations which lead to sin. God will take us back because of His Love for us but we must remember the time of Judgement will show our true nature which will lead to how we spend eternity.  
How do you want to spend eternity, in darkness or in the light????
1 John 3.1 - See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
John 1:12-13 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

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