FRIDAY, JULY 16, 2O21 LOVE WINS

 FRIDAY, JULY 16, 2O21 LOVE WINS

This week I’ve looked at Reconciliation Coaching/Consulting.  I’m going to borrow from a great story of reconciliation.

Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons.  The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.  So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.  He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!  I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’  So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.  For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and now is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

*****

Reconciliation - Spiritual style.

The son said “I want my money, I am getting out of here - out of this house, out of your control.  I’m leaving NEVER to return”.  

Dad may have begged “No son, don’t do this.  I love you”.

But, the son laughed derisively.  “<blank> you, old man.  Up yours”.  (okay, maybe that was literary license). 

The dad had to sell some non-liquid assets, but the son left with 3 million dollars!!

*****

The son was gone.  Maybe left the farm in South Dakota and moved to Las Vegas.  His family was so boring - and he was going to live it up.  Life is too short to be boring.  Vegas would be ideal.  

He was good at cards.  He played poker with some friends back home in South Dakota and almost always won more than he lost.  He loaded his new car and drove to Las Vegas.  

He was really careful the first month.  Watching the casinos, watching the dealers, playing small stakes - winning some - losing some.  He did spend on liquor - that seems to buy him some friends in this new environment.  In his second month, he moved up a level and again won some and lost some.  One night he wasn’t careful enough and lost $1,000 at the table.  Sure, he won $50 later, but the overall was negative.  He had started in a medium range hotel, but moved to a cheaper place to live.  He was jogging to keep physically fit and mentally healthy.  It seemed as if his friends loved it when he bought them a drink.  

Months later, he moved down to even cheaper places to live, renting a run-down mobile home about 15 miles outside of Vegas.  It was about 46 to 54 overall for winning and losing - overall he was losing just a little more than he was winning.  He’d make it up - he’d hit it big one of these nights. 

About six months later, he had to take a job.  He became a dealer at one of the lower casinos.  He lasted about two weeks when somebody bought him a drink - and he drank it.  (No drinking by employees) - so he moved to another casino.  

Four years later, that was his life - deal cards from about 7:00 pm to 3:00 am.  He had to be chipper and friendly.  He plastered a smile on his face, and learned names to say “Good Job <name> when somebody won at his table.  It wasn’t great money, but it kept him going.  And on the two nights a week when he wasn’t working, he was at a casino 40 miles to the north so nobody would recognize him.  

One night, after playing out of town, he was clocked at 20 miles over the speed limit - and then failed his sobriety test.  Bingo - first DWI (driving while intoxicated).  He was fined - which pretty much wiped out his funds.  He also lost his casino job.  He caught on with a moving company, carrying furniture up and down stairs.  He had been strong at one point, but even he didn’t jog as much.  He hurt his back one afternoon carrying a hide-a-bed sofa up a flight of stairs.  His company gave him some worker’s compensation.  But, it wasn’t enough.  He lost the mobile home for failing to pay rent three months in a row.  He sold his car and got a cheap motorcycle.  He worked wherever he could - but with a bad back, drinking problems and other financial and health issues he just couldn’t keep a job.  He stayed at one of the rescue missions sometimes, but mostly on the street.  He worked out of manpower - temporary services - but didn’t make much money.  

One night, asleep on the street, he was accosted by a druggie who wanted whatever money he had.  He couldn’t take it anymore.  At 28 years old, he was a drifter, a gamer who lost his confidence, he couldn’t keep a job, he had squandered 3 million dollars.  He had nothing left - no pride, no self-respect, nothing.  

He reflected on his situation for two days.  He worked as a temp for those days, unloading a moving van for a young couple moving to Las Vegas on the first day, and shoveling out the arena at Circus-Circus of animal manure the second day.

He could stay in Vegas - live on the streets, or somehow go back to South Dakota - and tell his family he had wasted his inheritance.  The shame of it all.

During the next three weeks, he saved pretty much everything he earned on his odd jobs.  He bought a ticket on Trailways busses back to Sioux Falls.  From Sioux Falls he hitchhiked to Madison and then walked the last twelve miles to the family farm.  Those last twelve miles were maybe the hardest.  He knew he wouldn’t be welcomed at home, he was a loser, but he would be a farm hand, living in a trailer. 

On that last twelve miles, a car passed him up, and the driver recognized him - through all the dirty clothes, long hair - as the son - and called his dad on his phone.  “I think I might have seen your son - the one who left - walking towards your house”.  

Dad jumped into action.  He and Mom quickly planned a welcome, he had some wonderful beef and things in the freezer.  Then he jumped into his pickup and headed down the road to meet him.  Seeing him brought tears to his eyes.  “My son was lost and now is found”.  Stopping the truck in the middle of the gravel road, he jumped out and hugged his son - who was smelly and dirty.  Both cried - some were tears of remorse, and some were tears of joy.  

The son started to say “Dad, I have sinned against you and against God.  I was so wrong.  Can you hire me as a hired hand on your farm?” Dad interrupted him “Welcome Home Son”!!!

*****

That was twenty-some years ago.  Dad and Mom have retired into Madison at the Bethel Lutheran home.  The son and his brother have made up and reconciled.  He has married, and loves his wife - and his life!!He has peace in his life again.

*****

Sure, that is a Pollyanna version of the Prodigal Son.  The son had learned many lessons - the tough way.  

Maybe all of us can learn something - about love winning - and forgiveness here!!

Karen