The Journey of the ProdigalSample

Alienation

Luke 15:13 - “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country...”

This young man got everything to which he thought himself entitled. It was not enough for him. He then did what so many addicts do, alienated himself from his family and all those who truly loved him including friends, cousins, and his spiritual community. 

This part of the prodigal story always intrigued me. Why did he go far away? I think he knew that what he was planning to do, get drunk and pay for sex and act totally against the way he way raised, wouldn’t be approved of by anyone who was sane in his life. 

Addiction makes you value “it” (whatever “it” is for you) more than people. James 1:15 says that the heart will always show up in the behaviors.  They may not do so to the extreme the prodigal son did, taking his cash, belongings, some donkeys, and traveling hundreds or thousands of miles away from his father, but valuing “it” more than people is typical of the addict. Again, to the addict, people are objects to help them begin or maintain their addictive behavior. When someone is determined to sin or get deeper in their addiction, they will alienate themselves even from the people who truly love them the most: fathers, mothers, spouses, children, brothers or sisters, and long-term friends. 

Remember, this was way back before a postal system, telephones, cell phones, email or any social media. This young man went totally off the grid from his father and everyone else, abruptly cutting off contact. In most cases, it starts off more gradually; less and less contact with family and friends, then not returning calls or emails, then maybe moving to another location so there is less chance of running into someone who might know you. In addiction, it is highly possible you will forsake all others for your addiction and even leave geographically.