Jesus welcomes the addict home
In the New Testament used by the Christian Church, the book of Luke (15: 11-32) reports Jesus telling the story of a man with two sons. The youngest son asks for his share of the inheritance. The father divides the inheritance and gives it to the sons. The younger one uses the money to seek escape in addictive behavior. For whatever reason, he is unable to be okay with himself and looks outside of himself for temporary escape from being himself. Sadly, his brain is such that it craves more and more, but nothing fills the hole in his soul. Before long he is broke, homeless and without any real friends. He hires himself out and is assigned to feed pigs, but he is not even given any of the food that the pigs were eating. He decides to go home to his father, admit he has reached his bottom, and asked to be one of his father’s servants who he knows are treated well. When he gets home his father embraces him and prepares a feast. The older son is hurt and confused because he had done his duty and not engaged in addictive behavior. It feels to him that his brother is being rewarded for bad behavior while he has not been rewarded for good behavior. The father tells the older son that they need to rejoice because his brother has been lost and is now found. The chains of addiction are no longer controlling his life and he is again available to be a son and brother.
Those in the 12 step programs would say that he youngest son has reached his bottom; the pain has become so great that he is ready to look elsewhere for himself; he is ready to take what Soren Kierkegaard called the leap of faith; he is ready to accept the remote possibility that he may not be worthless. He is ready to accept that he cannot safely engage in addictive behavior if he is ever going to heal.
The father and all the members of his father’s business embrace him and prepare the feast. The son who was lost has been found. The son who was dead is alive.
Today, I was thinking of this very familiar story when I was attending a coining out at the addiction treatment center where I volunteer. Coining outs are a sort of graduation from phase one of the recovery/healing process.
Every family member and friend of the person whose has been killed off by addiction longs for the day when their son, daughter, grandchild, niece, nephew, parent, or friend is raised from the dead. All too often their emotional and spiritual death is followed by their physical death. Sometimes, however, the addict is forced or, in desperation, decides to put themselves in a treatment center. When they complete this phase of treatment the other clients, sponsors and some family members join in this celebration. A recovery coin is passed around and everyone puts something such as strength, love, or courage into the coin. When later the person has a difficult day they take out this coin and remember that he or she has these gifts and the support of all those who left something in the coin.
The coining out this morning included the other residents of the treatment center, some of the staff, other folks from the 12 recovery program, grandparents, parents, brother, and girlfriend He was surrounded by love. After the coining out there was special treats baked by one of the residents. Everyone was there to celebrate the rebirth of the prodigal son. He had been lost to the addiction. He had been emotionally dead. Today he was alive. Today he has been found. Not everyone has such a large and unconditionally supportive family present when they coin out. This family happens to be a family of great faith. This family had read and trusted the lesson of the teaching of Jesus about the prodigal son. This family was ready to embrace this fine young man and welcome his home.
I often used the term “walk the talk”. Not every religious family is able to walk the talk. Not every religious family is able to love unconditionally. This family, the pastor and other adopted family members have taken the teachings of Jesus to heart.
Welcome home to the prodigal son. Welcome home to the addict. Welcome home to all who of us when we are lost. The minister spoke of making room at the table. This was the message of Jesus. The son was willing to live and work as one of the servants. The father said “Your place at the table has been prepared. Come, join us once again.”
Jimmy F. Pickett
Coachpickett.org
July 11, 2018
In the New Testament used by the Christian Church, the book of Luke (15: 11-32) reports Jesus telling the story of a man with two sons. The youngest son asks for his share of the inheritance. The father divides the inheritance and gives it to the sons. The younger one uses the money to seek escape in addictive behavior. For whatever reason, he is unable to be okay with himself and looks outside of himself for temporary escape from being himself. Sadly, his brain is such that it craves more and more, but nothing fills the hole in his soul. Before long he is broke, homeless and without any real friends. He hires himself out and is assigned to feed pigs, but he is not even given any of the food that the pigs were eating. He decides to go home to his father, admit he has reached his bottom, and asked to be one of his father’s servants who he knows are treated well. When he gets home his father embraces him and prepares a feast. The older son is hurt and confused because he had done his duty and not engaged in addictive behavior. It feels to him that his brother is being rewarded for bad behavior while he has not been rewarded for good behavior. The father tells the older son that they need to rejoice because his brother has been lost and is now found. The chains of addiction are no longer controlling his life and he is again available to be a son and brother.
Those in the 12 step programs would say that he youngest son has reached his bottom; the pain has become so great that he is ready to look elsewhere for himself; he is ready to take what Soren Kierkegaard called the leap of faith; he is ready to accept the remote possibility that he may not be worthless. He is ready to accept that he cannot safely engage in addictive behavior if he is ever going to heal.
The father and all the members of his father’s business embrace him and prepare the feast. The son who was lost has been found. The son who was dead is alive.
Today, I was thinking of this very familiar story when I was attending a coining out at the addiction treatment center where I volunteer. Coining outs are a sort of graduation from phase one of the recovery/healing process.
Every family member and friend of the person whose has been killed off by addiction longs for the day when their son, daughter, grandchild, niece, nephew, parent, or friend is raised from the dead. All too often their emotional and spiritual death is followed by their physical death. Sometimes, however, the addict is forced or, in desperation, decides to put themselves in a treatment center. When they complete this phase of treatment the other clients, sponsors and some family members join in this celebration. A recovery coin is passed around and everyone puts something such as strength, love, or courage into the coin. When later the person has a difficult day they take out this coin and remember that he or she has these gifts and the support of all those who left something in the coin.
The coining out this morning included the other residents of the treatment center, some of the staff, other folks from the 12 recovery program, grandparents, parents, brother, and girlfriend He was surrounded by love. After the coining out there was special treats baked by one of the residents. Everyone was there to celebrate the rebirth of the prodigal son. He had been lost to the addiction. He had been emotionally dead. Today he was alive. Today he has been found. Not everyone has such a large and unconditionally supportive family present when they coin out. This family happens to be a family of great faith. This family had read and trusted the lesson of the teaching of Jesus about the prodigal son. This family was ready to embrace this fine young man and welcome his home.
I often used the term “walk the talk”. Not every religious family is able to walk the talk. Not every religious family is able to love unconditionally. This family, the pastor and other adopted family members have taken the teachings of Jesus to heart.
Welcome home to the prodigal son. Welcome home to the addict. Welcome home to all who of us when we are lost. The minister spoke of making room at the table. This was the message of Jesus. The son was willing to live and work as one of the servants. The father said “Your place at the table has been prepared. Come, join us once again.”
Jimmy F. Pickett
Coachpickett.org
July 11, 2018
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