In our gospel reading for today, Jesus encounters some Pharisees and scribes who have a problem. They are upset that Jesus is willing to welcome tax collectors and sinners, as if Jesus was oblivious to the lifestyles that these people have led. And in response to their grumbling, Jesus tells these Pharisees the beautiful parable we have come to know as the prodigal son - the ultimate story of God's grace – a concept the Pharisees can't understand....
When dealing with someone who is stuck in self-destructive behaviour, we have a term we use to describe a loved one who tries to act out of compassion, but ends up doing more harm than good – that person is called an “enabler.” With the help of enablers, self-destructive people can continue their behaviour without suffering the full consequences of their behaviour – the gambling addict who gets the rent money he lost replaced by dad, the promiscuous teen who is defended in the community by a lying mom, the alcoholic who is fed primarily by the food bank. Enablers make it impossible for self-destructive people to “hit rock bottom,” to finally come to their senses, and to find a way back to a life of health and joy.
The Father in Jesus' parable is a fascinating character, and it is clear that Jesus is portraying his HEAVENLY Father in this story. The Father is approached by the younger son, and is told, “give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” This is the worst insult a son can give to his father – it says in effect, “I wish you were already dead.” It assumes that the Father will fulfill all of the duties of a father, while the son shows none of the love of a son. The younger son has big plans to move, not just a little ways from his home, but to a distant country – as far away from the Father as possible. And he has plans to spit on his Father's noble occupation, and live the hedonistic, irresponsible lifestyle his Father could never have imagined. The MOST fascinating part of the story is the Father's response. If the Father had said to the son, “For this intense pain you have now caused me, and for your complete disrespect, I am REVOKING your inheritance,” well then the story ends right there. But instead, the Father gives a response that ENABLES the younger son to reach the path of self-destruction - “he divided his property between them.”
Such is the risk God takes in giving his people free will. Any one of us at any time can go “rogue younger son”, and turn our backs on God, and make our way to a spiritually distant country. Any one of us at any time can turn our backs on the responsible, productive lifestyle God wants for us, and choose our own self-destructive path. And do you know what is UNLIKELY to happen in that case? A lightning strike from heaven, poisonous snakes biting us, leprosy, or any of the other Old Testament descriptions of God's punishment. If we want to walk away, it is almost like the Father ENABLES us, letting us leave his presence with all of the inheritance of blessings he has provided for us to date – our talents and treasure, our family and friends, our community and country, our freedom. We have been given free will...to take all of that, and “squander it in dissolute living.”