It Shouldn’t Be Like That
My Prodigal Son Song
“It Shouldn’t Be Like That” is my Prodigal Son song. Keith Green’s “Prodigal Son Suite” is my all time favorite song about Prodigals, but yes, I’ve also written one. Mine is a little different than his- Keith talks about hitting rock bottom and in shame returning to his Father’s House, mine is for those who won’t admit they’re prodigals just yet. Mine is for those who are still in denial. You go to church, play the part, wear your smile, and toss out the Christian clichés like breath mints. You’re a Prodigal, you just don’t want to admit to everyone else what you know to be true about yourself.
I’m not pointing fingers, I wrote the song because I’ve done it myself. Oh yeah, I know how to “look christian” right along with the best of them!
It shouldn’t be like that!
The worse thing in the world is to be a christian and be faking it. Hypocrisy must be the special trap that the Devil lays for religious folk. Who did Jesus have to upbraid? The Pharisees. Why? They were in large measure hypocrites. You don’t think they knew it? Of course they knew it! Hypocrites always know they’re a fraud and a forgery. An “imitation Christian” is not what God has called us to be, but we can be very good at keeping up appearances, can’t we? We think if we look like a duck and quack like a duck, everyone will think we are a duck. What a miserable existence being a hypocrite is!
Have you forgotten the grace of God?
At their heart a Prodigal forgets about the grace of God. We know we’re guilty but instead of confessing we run- we run away from God, and not to Him. Why? Because we are no longer looking at the mercy of God, we are no longer conscious of his loving heart; We have forgotten His goodness and in our guilt are afraid.
“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18)
The whole Christian life starts out by admitting our failure and weakness and sin, do you really think you need that facade of “goodness” that you’re holding out to the world? God knows you, and He loves you. Go to Him now as you once did, with an open and honest and broken heart, and He will not turn you away. Your name is not really “PRODIGAL” it is SON- God’s son or daughter.
“Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” (Galatians 4:6-7)
