Spiritual Reflections by Marshall Davis: Story of the Spoiled Brat

Jesus said, “A certain man had two sons, who worked with him in the family business. The younger son could not stand working for his father any longer. He said to his father, “Dad, I need to get out of here! Give me my share of the business.” Without saying a word, the father liquidated half of the company’s assets and gave his son the money.

Within days of cashing the check, the younger son was gone. He hopped a plane and traveled to a Caribbean island where he lived large, hosting extravagant parties for other expats. Soon he had spent every cent … and more. He went deep into debt to the luxury hotel where he stayed. To make matters worse a hurricane hit, devastating the local economy.

The young man found himself penniless and friendless in a foreign land. He tried to find work to support himself, but the only job he could find was collecting garbage at the same hotel where he had previously lived in luxury. Almost all his paycheck went to pay off his debts. Some weeks he found himself sifting through the garbage to find something to eat.

Then it dawned on him. He could go back home and work for his father! Even the lowest employee at the family firm lived better than he was living now. He would ask his father for a job. He would act humble and remorseful and say to his father, “Dad, I am so sorry for what I did. I see now that I was wrong, and I hurt your feelings. To make it up to you, please let me work for you as a regular employee.”

He found a cruise ship going in the right direction and signed on as a dishwasher. That got him to the mainland. Then he hitchhiked to the city. He rehearsed his speech as he walked the final blocks to the family company headquarters. His father happened to be looking out his office window and saw his son approaching. Overflowing with love, he ran to the elevator and met his son in the lobby. In front of all his employees he embraced his son with tears of joy flowing down his cheeks.

The son immediately started in on his spiel, “Dad, I am so sorry for what I did. I see now that I was wrong. I hurt your feelings. To make it up to you, please let me work for you as a regular employee.” But his father interrupted him and shouted to his employees, who were standing around gawking, “Don’t just stand there! Can’t you see that my son is back? Joe, go to Armani and buy him a new suit, and some shoes, too. Lucy, go next door to the restaurant and get some food for us all. Spare no expense. We are going to have a party! For I thought my son had died in a hurricane, but now he shows up alive and safe. I thought I had lost him, but now I have found him again.’ So everyone partied.

Meanwhile the older son was down the street with a client. As he approached the building, he could hear music and laughing coming out of the company headquarters. He asked one of the employees near the entrance what was going on. He told him, “Your brother has come home, and your father is throwing a welcome home party for him.”

When he heard this he fumed in anger, went into his office and slammed the door. When his father learned his older home was back, he went to his office and encouraged him to come out and join in the celebration. But the son replied, “I have served you faithfully for years, and you never once threw a party for me! But now this ingrate son of yours, who jeopardized our company and lost all our capital, comes home and you throw him a party!”

His father responded, “Son, you are with me all the time. This whole company will be yours one day. Be glad that your brother is home safe. Come out and make a toast to him. For I thought he was dead, but he is alive. He was lost to me, but now he is home.”