07/03/2026
When Jesus told the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15, He was not simply sharing a touching family story. He was revealing the heart of the Father and giving us a glimpse of the gospel long before the cross ever happened. One small detail in the story carries enormous meaning. Scripture says, “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him” (Luke 15:20 ESV). The question that naturally arises is this: why was the father able to see him while he was still far away? Because he was already looking. The father had clearly been watching the road. Day after day he must have looked out toward the horizon, hoping that the son who had walked away would return home. His love had not disappeared when the son left. His heart had remained open the entire time. But there was another reason the father ran toward his son before he reached the village.
In the culture of that time, what the son had done was deeply shameful. He had taken his inheritance early, which was essentially the same as wishing his father dead, and then he wasted everything in reckless living. If he had walked into the village alone, the people of the town would likely have confronted him with public humiliation and rejection. The community took family honor seriously, and someone who had dishonored his father could be mocked, condemned, and publicly shamed before ever reaching home. The son understood this. That is why he rehearsed a speech as he returned. He planned to say, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants” (Luke 15:18–19 ESV). He was not expecting restoration. He was preparing himself for shame. But the father knew exactly what would happen if the boy entered the village alone. So when he saw his son far off in the distance, he did something shocking. He ran.
In ancient Middle Eastern culture, respected patriarchs did not run. Ru
