Welcome Mat

A certain woman had two sons; and the younger of them said to his mother, “Mom, I think it’s time to move out and be responsible.” That left the woman with no children at home, for her older son had gone on to his Heavenly Home.

And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a short journey down the freeway, and there he paid for a room living with three other people including a husband and wife.

For a year, he seemed to spend everything, and a severe famine occurred in his wallet, and he began to be in need, even missing a meal or two.

The son, already attached to his father’s field, could not move out to other fields for work for his transportation was lacking. He watched the hired hands moving about and filling their stomachs at break time, and he knew he had not made wise decisions with the pay he had earned. The foreman counseled the young man, inquiring about his tools for the trade, noticing he only borrowed his dad's. That inventory never grew; and that too was a disappointment.

Alas, the mother’s house, a room made empty once more, tempted him; he knew she cooked bacon on the weekends! 

 

‘I will get up and go to my mother (and father) and say to her’,

“ Mother, I wasn’t able to save any money and I’m not getting ahead. I have school loans and I need a car. Can I move back home?”

While he was still a long way off, (5 miles down the freeway), the mother began to gather the flour and the sugar to bake cookies. 

“ Mother, I am not worthy for you to do my laundry. I will continue to work in the washroom and help with the cable bill.” (pay a little rent too).

“But the father said to the neighbors, “Alas, my son has returned and we will gather and watch the Kings play hockey and play golf on Friday nights and cook together in the kitchen, and prepare the fattened burgers on the grill. For this son of mine was broke and now he WILL return and learn more how to save and pay his debts.”  (Can we all get in on this?) The father tossed him his flip -flops and the son wrapped his towel around his waste, refreshed from a shower.

The cookies baked and banana bread rose and the two sat on the couch, watching sports. The mother wrote words and prayed for strength, for wisdom, for God’s will, teaching opportunities, for a better relationship, for mutual respect, for bonding opportunities, for graceful words, and broken habits. She thanked God for a time like this, fluffing a pillow, and hearing a  “good night mom, love you,” more often. Snoring once again ” harmonizes” rather than attempts an off-key solo.    

She prays for her sons; she always will. That one will watch over and send butterflies, and that the other will gain new strength, be encouraged and not defeated, feel loved, know God’s love and purpose, be healthy and happy.

Grace. We live under it and in it continuously; and we are meant to extend it, not in an enabling way, but in a timely way. I am thankful; for grace is given to me in every breath I take.

 And God said to him, “My child, you have always been with me, and all that is mine, is yours;” and he crossed over and wiped his feet on the welcome mat to home.                      

Luke 15: 11-32

Parable of the Lost Son