The parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) is one with which many people are familiar. This is the first of a 3-part series looking at the various mindsets of the son as the parable progresses.
As we begin reading this parable, we learn of a man who had two sons. His younger son demands his portion of the inheritance, now, before the passing of his father. The father, loving as he was, granted the son’s wish. Not long after, we see that the son gathered his belongings and left to go to a “…distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living” (Luke 15:13).
What is the mindset of a man who would demand his inheritance prior to his father’s death? The overarching mindset is one today’s world would call “entitlement.” The indication is that this young man likely had very little want in his life; yet, he wanted even more. He felt he should have what was coming to him (Luke 15:12) sooner rather than later. And what was the motivation behind this entitlement? Entitlement most often comes from a self-centered focus, where a person perceives themselves, their needs, and desires above the needs and desires of anyone else. This calls to mind the spoiled character in Willy Wonka, Veruca Salt, who’s chant “I want it, and I want it NOW!” leads to her quick demise. And when entitlement pursues physical gain, wealth, or things, we know it as greed.
Greed can cause a multitude of problems in our lives. Greed says, “there is something in this world more important than God in your life.” Greed says, “there is something in this world more important than the people in your life.” Greed says, “you are the most important thing in your life and you should be served by the world around you.” The Bible certainly warns us about greed (Matthew 6:24; Colossians 3:5). For the purposes of this parable, I find 1 Timothy 6:9-10 to be most informative:
But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
(SPOILER ALERT: that fall and that ruin is coming in our story….)
Greed can only be eliminated by learning contentment and a reliance on God (Hebrews 13:5). He will give us the things we need to most effectively serve Him in our day-to-day lives. And learning how to lean on Him for strength and sustenance is important for our growth.
I hope you’ll be back for part 2 of our series next week. In the meantime, I pray you will find contentment in your life and learn to trust in God and His plan for you.
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