Apr 2: Insight Post by Rusty Coram

  -   April 2, 2025

The Father’s Compassion: The father in the parable represents God’s compassion. He runs to embrace his son before the son can even apologize, showing that God’s love is not dependent on our actions but on His boundless mercy.

Wednesday Verse

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8 (NLT)

Wednesday Questions

How can I extend compassion and forgiveness to others, reflecting the mercy that God has shown me? In what ways can I actively demonstrate God’s boundless love and compassion, embracing those around me without waiting for them to meet certain expectations?

Wednesday Insight Post
by Rusty Coram

If you haven’t read it yet, please check out Kim Feld’s post on the passage from Monday. It was honest and challenging.

What stands out to me this time, reading this parable, is the father’s approach to his younger son’s choices. We know that the father loved his son, but never is it mentioned that he begged him not to leave home. Surely the father knew that his son’s impetuousness and rebellious attitude would lead him into trouble. After the son left, there is no indication that the father went or sent others to urge him to return. What we do see is the father watching, and when he sees the humbled son walking home, he runs to welcome him back.

There is something here that I believe is important in parenting and friendships. Letting people reap the consequences of their choices is important. Pain, failure, and loss are valuable teaching tools. A parent who does their child’s homework so they won’t get an F isn’t really helping. Financially supporting someone who is able but refuses to work or live within their means is merely subsidizing foolishness. I’m not saying this is easy, but it is important. Allowing a person to live with the consequences of their decisions can help them mature and develop. Interfering with that process can teach them that there are no real consequences, leading to an attitude of entitlement.  The father deeply loved his son, and so much so that he let him make poor choices and live with the result. Allowing the son to experience the consequences of his actions led him to be truly humbled, open, and teachable.

God does this with us so that we will learn and grow. He cares more about our character than our comfort. The lessons learned through our mistakes and failures can lead to wisdom and success.

“For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. ¹¹ No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” Hebrews 12:10–11 (NLT)

Rusty Coram
Senior Pastor

New Hope Church
Lorton, Virginia
www.newhope.org