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Christianity Today, July (Web-Only), 2008 |

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Parents and Prodigals

As my daughter leaves for college, packing up her belongings, she is still a stranger to me.

Virginia Stem Owens | posted 7/29/2008 08:35AM

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For in Christ, even the image of the elder brother of the parable is undone. He becomes the elder brother who intercedes, who takes the punishment for the prodigal, who sets the example of loving obedience to the dread father, who shares his inheritance with us. In him, the world's one child who did ask to be born, the parable becomes complete.

I look at my daughter, who is several inches taller than I am now. My years of sheltering her are over. I sometimes quake with gratitude that she has, beyond dreaming, turned out to be strong, intelligent, and beautiful, knowing that her being so is a matter of grace and not my doing. I am also grateful that her heart has grown large enough to shelter others, perhaps even her provoking parents, when that time comes. But most of all I look forward to that time beyond time when the both of us "will be set free from bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God," together, as sisters.

Related Elsewhere:

Virginia Stem Owens blogs at The God Spy.

Other articles on parenting are in our family section.

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July (Web-Only) 2008, Vol. 52

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Pete Dymond

Posted: August 06, 2008 12:31 PM

As a step father of 2 wonderful kids, and father of 3 of my 'own', I felt that this article is very negative with a resigned to failure prevailing attitude. The only thing worse than poor parenting skills is the knowledge of that and the apparent unwillingness to be better. I personally battled massive inadequacy when I married my wife and her two kids. I was raised by an absent / abusive step-father and felt wholly incapable of being a role model. However, we as Christians have several advantages: We are filled with the Holy Spirit who counsels us, we have the written Word of God to teach us, we have brothers & sisters in Christ to impart wisdom and we have the promises of God to stand on, even when we see our failures or see our kids stray. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. I'll finish with this thought, God's Word is powerful, it will accomplish it's purpose, the story of the prodigal is one of hope and promise. They may stray, but God never lets them go.

HILDA

Posted: August 05, 2008 12:40 PM

I read the first few lines and the author laments that Jesus was never a parent..Not in the physical sense but in the spiritual sense He was...We are HIS children...I lost my mother when I was 2 yrs. old..I'm 56 almost 57..Dealing with 3 brain tumors of the lining of the brain called Meningiomas.. I know that Jesus is the son of God...We are all called son's of God...We are God's children...I have 4 grown sons..I've taught them to read His Word..The only way to know our purpose is reading the Bible..Not letting others beliefs enter into the picture..Where 2 or 3 are gathered together in His name there HE IS in the midst..I believe we all have a purpose and that purpose is to have Faith that God sent His SON Jesus to this earth to give us all a chance for eternal life...Whatever Jesus did when He was on this planet was important and it seems many think that it wasn't...He was Baptized and was crucified...To this day many use Him to capitalize off His death and resurrection.

KKB	Posted: August 02, 2008 6:02 AM

How does this article make your daughter feel? Does she still think you both are strangers? I agree with CCT, while expressing realistic feelings, the author is taking a negative view from every angle of being a parent. I nearly closed this article mid-way, but decided to stick it out to see what the author's closing thoughts were. I marvel at the miracle of my children every day, at how God made them each of the unique and differently, yet all from the same parents. Their presence in our lives shapes who we are and every opportunity we have to love them, teach them, discipline them and guide them in the ways of the Lord is one of the highest callings. The glass is not half empty, but it is half full.

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