The Journey of the ProdigalShembull

No One To Help

Luke 15:16 "...but no one gave him anything."

What’s really interesting to me in this part of the story is something that is not portrayed. This young man had to have spent large amounts of money over a period of many months on women, stores, bars, restaurants, giving to friends in need, and all the rest, in order to go through such a huge sum of inheritance money. He was probably thinking that all these new friends were giving, just like he was. Day after day, no doubt he saw them making money. Yet when he plummeted to a place of genuine, dire need, how surprised he must have been when not one of his so-called friends was really there for him. Not one bartender, innkeeper, restaurant owner, friend, or brother even had a job to give to him.

He was alone the whole time in his addiction and was deceived that these people cared for him even a little bit. Addicts tend to surround themselves with other addicts so they’re not confronted on their immature, selfish behavior. They are surrounded by other selfish, immature people who are in it for themselves and not really capable of genuine, caring relationships.

As an addict, you’re not alone when you hit bottom. You were alone before that, but you created a fantasy world in which you fooled yourself about who the people around you actually were. When you’re in real need, people who help you (like your group members) can become real friends to you.

God moves at the pace of the prodigal. The boy was running out of money and then things went from bad to worse for the prodigal but God didn’t send anyone to rescue the him. The prodigal process is a heart process--a process from the inside out.

The circumstance may get worse for the person bent to sin or in the process of strengthening an addiction. This is why those around him are powerless to make something different happen. Trust in God. He is big, capable and really loves every prodigal.