The Prodigal Daughter

Remember in Luke 15:11-32, the very emotional story of the “Prodigal Son”? The son claimed his inheritance from his father and with that money he went to another country and wasted it up in “riotous living”. Finally he was broke and starving. No one would help him. He decided he would go back home and tell his dad he was sorry and ask to be a servant on the farm.

When his dad saw him far off down the road, he recognized his lost son and ran to him and hugged and kissed him. The boy said to him, “Father I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight: I am no more worthy to be called son”.

The father turned to his servants and said, go get the best clothes, put a ring on his finger and shoes on his feet: bring the fatted calf… we’re going to have a party… “for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found”.

This is a very emotional story about forgiveness and how we treat those who want forgiveness. I love that story. Let’s change it up a little. Let’s make the Prodigal Son a Prodigal Daughter.

She wastes her life in “riotous living” she recognizes her sin and decides to go back to her Dad. He sees her and runs up to her and hugs her neck and kisses her. She asks for forgiveness and then looks down and notices she is… pregnant.

What happens next? My guess is the old man is so happy to have his “dead” daughter back that he does just for her what he would do for the son… even if she is pregnant.

I tell this story because sometimes when a girl gets pregnant out of wedlock we think we have to treat her different. Somehow she has to know that she has sinned, and throwing a party or a baby shower might mute that message or perhaps encourage other girls to get pregnant out of wedlock.

I think we think too much sometimes.

The joy of recovering a loved one lost in sin should be so joyous that we want to send the message… you are completely forgiven… welcome back daughter. That’s consistent with Luke 15