Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Oct/95

Contributor - Heino Blaauw

Title - The Story of the Lost Son: Part 11 "Rags and Robes"

Topic - Discipleship

(based on Ephesians 4: 22-24)

AFTER a father's party for the lost son, the boy went off to his bedroom for a good night's sleep. He was so tired from his days away from the father's home that he slept in quite late the next morning. After he awoke he went to his closet to get dressed for the day and what he found there surprised him greatly!

There hanging in his closet was not only the new clothes his father had given him upon his return, also hanging there beside his new clothing was his old shirt he had wom in the distant country. It was ragged and full of holes. And it smelled from his days of feeding the pigs.

It seemed odd to him that his father had not thrown it out when he gave him his new clothes - but there it was hanging right beside the new clothes!

The son thought for a moment, "What shall I wear?" "Of course my new clothes", he decided quickly. 'I am again a part of my father's family. These clothes go with the home I now belong to. Those beautiful clothes reflect who I am with my father." And so the son put on his new clothes that day.

The next morning when the son went to his closet to get dressed, hanging there still was his old ragged smelly shirt. This time, before he put on his new clothes, he thought to himself, "You know, in a way that old shirt really felt comfortable. But no, no! It doesn't fit with who I am." So he again put on his new clothes.

The next morning when he was at his closet the son caught a whiff of his ragged shirt and thought, "There's something about that scent I still like." Then, again remembering how comfortable that old shirt felt, he decided, "Today I'm going to wear that shirt around my home." So he put it on.

It didn't feel as comfortable as he once remembered and its smell really was repugnant, but the son decided, "I'll still wear it." When he left his room to go down for breakfast, one of his father's servants noticed the son and asked, What are you doing. You sure don't look like your father's son with those rags on!" Later, when his own father met the son at the breakfast table, he sternly rebuked his son saying, 'Get that shirt off! That is not who you are! You are now part of my family and my home, put on your proper clothes!" The son obeyed and went back to his room to get changed.

The next morning still hanging there in his bedroom closet was his smelly, ragged shirt. And to be honest it was yet a temptation to wear that shirt - after all he had worn it for many days and had been used to putting it on. However, remembering who he now was and remembering his father's rebuke, he put on his new clothes for that day.

Each morning after that the son faced the decision between his old clothes and his new clothes. Some mornings he still tried on his old rags, but gradually he liked that shirt less and less. It was not who he now was. Likewise, the more he wore his new clothes, the more comfortable they began to feel because that reflected his new self

Finally one day the son went up his father and asked, "Dad, why didn't you just get rid of my old rags the day you accepted me back home and gave me my new clothes? Why did you hang this old shirt in my closet beside my new one?"

And the father said, "Son, one day I will get rid of that shirt and it will never again be in your closet. But until that day the reason I have it hanging in your life is to build your love for me. It always reminds you of who you used to be. And it makes you chose each day to live as my son who you now are. Whenever you reject wearing that ragged, smelly shirt, you are becoming a stronger son of mine. And whenever I see that love it brings a smile to my face."

The father was faithful to his promise. One day he burned that old ragged shirt his son had once worn. It was a day that the son rejoiced in.

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