The ProdigalSample

The Others

If you look closely, you’ll see three anonymous figures in the scene.

In Jesus’s parable, he mentions servants who are called to dress the younger brother and plan the feast. The two men next to the older brother are dressed nicely, so they are likely not servants, but party guests.

You might not even realize that there’s a third person hiding in the shadows in the top left corner of the painting. If you could see the actual, almost nine-foot-tall painting, you would see the woman more clearly. Many experts assume she is the mom, watching as her husband hugs her long-lost son.

Jesus doesn’t include these characters in his story, but we can still put ourselves in their shoes. If you were at that celebration, what would you be feeling?

The men might think their friend is a little crazy. It’s hard to believe a man could easily forgive a son who had hurt him so badly. A father should be proud of his son, telling his friends about his success and accomplishments. Instead, this boy had wasted his father’s money and thrown his life away.

They might have been shocked that a father could love his child so extravagantly.

Now imagine you are the boy’s mother.

If we could see her face, we would probably see tears streaming down her cheeks. She’s amazed that her boy is home. She’s thankful that her husband is not only willing but also excited to welcome their son back into the family.

In that moment captured in a painting, the weeks, months, maybe even years, that her son was gone are forgotten. He’s home where his father can keep him safe.

REFLECTION

How are you like the party guests or mother? What would you think if you saw this father and son hugging?

DISCUSSION

What do you think it means to feel safe with God?