Investigating the Bible: A father’s forgiveness 

By David Carlson Pastor

As a father, President Harry S. Truman, gave this guidance: “I have found the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it.” In the New Testament, one father seemed to follow this advice for one of his sons.

Jesus told his followers a parable: “… There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living.” (Luke 15:11-13, English Standard Version used throughout). It is a story common today. An impulsive person throws money away for fun times until it is all gone.

For the young man in Jesus’ story, things got worse. “And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.” (Luke 15:14-16).

Author Peggy Noonan, in her book John Paul the Great, wrote: “Finding God is not hard, because he wants us to be found…[Step] One: Get yourself in trouble. Let life make you miserable. This shouldn’t be hard.” In his misery, the young man in the parable remembered his father and God. When he “… came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger. I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.’” (Luke 15:17-19).

He faced shame when he returned home. However, his father longed for his young son’s return and had kept watch across his fields for signs of his return. While the son was “… still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, ran and embraced him and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20). The son confessed his sins, but the father was only overjoyed that his son was home. He commanded his servants, “… Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to celebrate.” (Luke 15:22-24). This parable of the prodigal son illustrates God’s response when someone decides to turn to him. Jesus said, “… I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

A contemporary son failed his famous father. Franklin Graham is the son of Billy Graham and now leads the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and is founder of Samaritan’s Purse, an international humanitarian aid organization. However, in his youth he broke college rules. For his actions, he was expelled from LeTourneau College in Texas. Billy Graham knew this and Franklin drove home to his father: “Dread swelled as I approached my parents’ log cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I imagined my father’s look of disapproval when he would fix his eyes on his eldest son and namesake, who had failed to make him proud. But when I rounded the last curve, my father’s long legs stepped off the porch and he walked toward me with arms wide open. Following a gripping hug, I looked into my father’s forgiving eyes.”

David Carlson Pastor (yes, that is his last name, not his profession) is a Polk County, Oregon resident and graduate of Bethel Theological Seminary in Minnesota (M.Div., M.Th.).