January 16, 2024

Have you ever watched someone slowly destroy their own lives? Is there anything sadder? I remember a young man from several years ago who received a significant inheritance when both of his parents died within a short time of each other. He spent the first year or so doing exactly what the young man in our parable did. He partied. He drank. He did drugs. He blew nearly half of what he had been given before he realized the awful truth. Every day he woke up he felt worse, not better. Fortunately, he turned around before it completely destroyed him.
Why do people pursue “wild living?” Some are trying to medicate pain in their lives. There are wounds that nag at them each day and the wild life gives them a bit of relief. That is, until the alcohol, the drugs, or the adrenaline wear off. Then the pain is back. Some pursue the wild life because it draws people to them. They want to be noticed. They want to be popular. In their heart of hearts, they want to know they’re loved. But when the money runs out, the crowd runs out with it. Party animals have lots of company, but very few real friends. Other people choose the wild life because they want a thrill. They’re bored, and the action and the crowd make them feel alive. But what they’re really looking for is significance. They want to wake up with a sense that their life matters. That there is something worth living for. Something that gives them drive, motivation, and meaning.
What’s sad is that the young man had all those things before he ever left home. He just didn’t know it. He was already LOVED. His life already had significance. And the healing he needed wasn’t going to be found in a bottle, bar, or brothel. It was going to be right there at home, working through whatever scar tissue he had with people who cared about him.
What we discover in the parable is that the wild life isn’t an escape. It’s a trap. It’s a life that medicates but doesn’t heal us. It’s a life where we discover that we can be all alone in the middle of a crowd. It’s a life where we end up chasing an illusion instead of fulfilling a dream. The life we’re looking for isn’t “out there.” It’s right here. And the Father is more than willing to help us discover that life. All we have to do is ask. That’s God’s Word for you today.