by Jane Winstead

Created on: October 10, 2009   Last Updated: October 23, 2009

A fool may be a person who lacks judgment, one that is silly or stupid, being promiscuous, acting unwisely, wasting time or doing a ridiculous act with no thought of the consequences.

In Luke 15:11-32, Jesus tells the story of the prodigal son. He was a very foolish young man. His father was very rich and had a large estate. The younger of the two sons became restless and asked his father to give him his share of the inheritance now so he could travel and see the world. The young man had visions of joy he would discover by going to another country. The father sadly agreed to grant his son's request. Broken hearted, the father watched as the young man took all his belongings and set out for a distant land.

While there, the young man frittered away his money and spent it on carnal living. He did not think about tomorrow or consider how he would live when his inheritance was gone. Soon a famine hit the land and he had very little money left. He felt the necessity to ask one of the farmers in the country where he lived for a job. He worked in the fields and took care of the animals. One chore was feeding the swine. He never had enough food and he was hungry, yet the swine had better food to eat than he. He thought of eating the corn-husks, the shells or pea-pods he was feeding to the swine. What a fool I am, he said to himself, my father's hired men have more than enough to eat and I am dying with hunger."

He decided to return home and ask his father for forgiveness. He knew he was not worthy to be forgiven or to return to the status he once held in his father's household. He ached for home and wanted to go back; he would go and say to his father, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.

He quickly left for his homeland. When he was a distance away, his father saw him coming. Happiness and joy spread through the father's heart as he ran to meet his son. He wept as he took him in his arms. Can you imagine the astonishment the son felt as his father held him? Because his father was so happy to see him and have him home again he told his servants to clothe his lost son in robes, put sandals on his feet and place a ring on his finger. The father instructed his servants to kill the fattened calf and prepare a great feast and celebration.

When the older brother returned from the fields, he did not know what was going on. When he found out his reckless brother had

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>