The news has gone quiet on the story that broke at the end of the school summer holidays that maths teacher Jeremy Forrest had run away with a pupil half his age, Megan Stammers. Forrest has now been charged with child abduction. This story must have sent shivers down the spine of many parents as they reflect on the chilling fact that every five minutes a child runs away from home in this country. But why do they do that? What provokes a happy, well-to-do teenager to turn away from the love and nurture of their parents to choose what they think will be a better life away from home?
This is precisely the question which Jesus’ most famous parable, ‘The Prodigal Son’, poses. Jesus gives us no background into the story, and neither would he as it is a parable. We are left to fill in the finer details ourselves. We can only guess at the disquiet in the young lad’s heart which provoked him to ask for his inheritance before his father had died. Was it bullying from his older brother? Was it favouritism from Dad towards his elder son? Was it constant nagging about the younger son’s laziness? None of this is spelt out – all we know is that he wanted to leave – he wanted his freedom – or what he thought was freedom.
The song by the Beatles focuses on the anguish faced by the parents when their daughter leaves home. They moaned that they had given their daughter the best they could and sacrificed most of their lives for her. Guilt wells up within them as they ask ‘what did we do that was wrong?’ The haunting background chant says ‘something inside that was always denied for so many years’. Are these the sentiments that Jesus had in mind when he painted the verbal picture of the Prodigal leaving home? Are these the feelings in the hearts of Megan Stammers’ parents as they watched TV footage of her in France with her maths teacher?
All of this shows not only that Jesus’ teaching, rather than being confined to a bygone era, is right up-to-date, but also that he has the deepest insights into the pain and anguish that we feel in everyday life. He must have felt the same when he watched the Rich Young Ruler walk away when confronted with the challenge of the gospel to sell all he had and give it to the poor. The same must have been true for God when he watched his chosen people in Old Testament times turn their backs on his glorious covenant provision and disobediently turn to worship other gods.
As we approach Christmas and ponder on what to buy as presents for our children or grandchildren, do we take lessons from these stories? Are we simply trying to feed our children with the latest toys and gadgets from Action Man to the latest iPad tablet computer? Do we have the best interest of our children at heart or are we simply seeking to win their favour with material goods rather than establishing the real bond of love which is so sadly missing in today’s society?
In the end, the pressures upon young people is overwhelming in today’s society. The bonds which once existed in community have given way to a closer bond on social networks. There is the constant attraction from the material and celebrity worlds where everything seems so full of promise and yet delivers so little of lasting happiness. As we pray for our children and grandchildren and smother them with real love, nothing can shield us from those unexpected mishaps in life when they turn away from the love we have given.
But the real challenge in the parable is how we react when common sense sets in. Luke 15:17 says, ‘when he came to himself’ or ‘when he came to his senses’. Eventually the young lad realises his mistakes and regrets the harm he has done to those who love him the most. Naturally he fears the worse retribution if he returns home, only to be surprised by the reception his father gives him. Is this the way we look upon people who have hurt us and shunned our best effort to love and care for them? Do we reflect the loving nature of God towards those who have made a mess of their lives? Sadly for some of us, our attitude reflects that of the elder brother who simply couldn’t bring himself to forgive his younger brother.
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