Fatherly Love - The Prodigal Son

So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.

Luke 15:20

Paco ran away from home without even leaving a note. His heartbroken father searched for his son for months, to no avail. In a last-ditch effort to find his boy, he put an ad in a Madrid newspaper: “Dear Paco, Meet me in front of this newspaper office at noon on Saturday. All is forgiven. I love you. Your Father.”

That Saturday, hundreds of boys named Paco stood in front of the newspaper office, each waiting to receive his father’s love and forgiveness.

A good father loves and forgives like the father Jesus described in his famous story of a father and his wayward son.

It’s not hard to imagine this kind of father shedding bitter tears as he watched the son he loved so much taking his inheritance and disappearing from view. It’s also easy to imagine him praying passionately every day that the boy would return home and rejoin the family. That was all he could do other than watch and wait.

When this father saw his son appear on the horizon, he recognized him instantly. Despite the shuffle and the haggard appearance, he knew him. He couldn’t just stand and wait for his boy to reach home, so he ran to his son and eagerly welcomed him back, not as a servant or as damaged goods, but as a much-loved son in good standing.

By going out of his way to restore a broken relationship, this fictional father became an example of a loving dad’s forgiveness and grace. How many other “Pacos” out there need to experience the same thing?

What man or woman, boy or girl close to you needs this kind of love, forgiveness, and grace? Can you provide it? What specifically can you do to make the gift a very special event? When you freely give of yourself in this way, you heal your relationships and set an example for others.