Saturday, April 16, 2016

The Story of the Enabler Father

We've grown accustomed to hearing the word "enabler" as a negative word describing someone who is enabling a loved one to get away with behavior that isn't healthy.

Jesus' famous story of the 'prodigal son' paints a picture of a father who today would be called an enabler. He doesn't hold his wayward son accountable; in fact, when the son asks prematurely for his inheritance, the father gives it to him in spite of the fact that the request implies that the son has little consideration for his father. Then later when the son returns, the father receives him with celebration with not a word of scolding but pure joy and welcoming.

If we judged this father's actions by our standards, we would call him a weak father. And perhaps he is; but if we call him a weak father, then we are calling the heavenly Father weak. And perhaps He is...

But what if God's weakness is stronger than our idea of power and strength? What if God's foolishness is wiser than our idea of wisdom and knowledge?

Could it be that God enables His children to come to Him through being an Enabler who lavishly and joyfully receives us without pointing out what we've done wrong and what we need to get straightened out?

If so, then those who have named this story "the story of the prodigal father" are correct, because the father in this story doesn't conform to our rules.

In the Luke 15 story Jesus doesn't tell us what life was like after the homecoming, because that's not Jesus' point in telling it. He is showing us what Father is like, and if we get that, then we will be enabled to know what should come after the homecoming celebration in our particular story.

Maybe another title for this story could be "The Story of the Enabler Father"...

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