I am the Prodigal Son.

Jesus told a story about a rich man with two sons. The younger son told his dad he wanted his inheritance right away, even though his dad was still alive. His dad agreed and split everything he owned between his two sons. 

Like many young people, the son was eager to explore his newfound freedoms. He packed his belongings, took his inheritance, and headed off to a faraway land to begin his new life. Without much self-discipline or maturity, he lived a wild life, spending all his money without thought or planning, eventually blowing through his entire inheritance from his father. He was flat broke. Too proud to go home, he begged a local farmer for a job, offering to feed pigs for a pittance and mere rations.  After some time, the son came to a realization: even his father’s servants had an abundance of food, yet he was living among pigs and on the brink of starvation. At that point, the son decided to head back to his father, hoping for forgiveness and a job as one of his workers.

Upon his son’s eventual return, the father, who had long anticipated this moment, saw him approaching from a distance away. Overwhelmed with emotion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. Deeply sorry, the son admitted to his father, – Dad, I’ve messed up, big time, against both heaven and you. I don’t even deserve to be called your son anymore. – But his father quickly told his servants to get the best robe and put it on him. He also told them to put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. On top of that, he ordered them to butcher the prized fatted calf, because that night they were going to celebrate his son’s return.

Meanwhile, the older son was out working in the fields. When he came back to the house, he noticed a party going on inside—lots of singing, laughing, and dancing. Confused by all the celebration, he asked a servant what was happening. The servant told him that his brother had come home and their father had decided to kill the fattened calf for a big feast to celebrate.  

The older brother was angry and refused to join the party. His dad begged him to come, but the son shot back that after all his years of hard work and always doing what he was told, he’d never had a celebration thrown for him. But his brother, who had blown all his money on a wild lifestyle, came back, and they threw a huge party for him…even killing the fattened calf.  Seeking to reassure his son, the father affirmed that he recognized his son’s unwavering faithfulness and that all the father’s possessions would eventually be his. But for now, this day merited celebration, for his brother, who was once lost, had been found and was now alive again!