The Parable of the Generous Parent
Grounding Our Generosity in God’s Generosity
Reflection By Scott Stoner
“Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” And they began to celebrate.
- Luke 15:22-24 (ESV)
The parable of the prodigal son is one of the best-known stories that Jesus shared with his followers. It is the story of a loving father who forgives his wayward son after the son leaves home and wastes his share of his inheritance. Thinking he has forsaken his father so entirely that he will not be welcomed home, the son is overwhelmed when instead his father responds with lavish generosity—offering his wayward son a ring, the best robe, a fatted calf, and a grand feast.
While we commonly know this story as the Parable of the Prodigal Son, it could also be called the Parable of the Generous Parent, reflecting the primary focus on how extravagant God’s love is for us. No matter how wayward we have been in our lives, we can always return to God for love and forgiveness, for we have a lavishly generous God.
This parable reveals the heart of God’s generosity—it is not based on our worthiness or performance, but on God’s unchanging love. The father in the story doesn’t wait for an apology or proof of change; he runs to meet his son while he is still far off. This demonstrates generosity of the heart—emotional generosity that flows from love rather than duty.
Making it Personal: What does this story teach you about God’s generosity? When this parable is discussed in Bible studies, members often wonder if they were the father in this story, would they have responded with such love and generosity? How would you answer that question for yourself? Today, notice when someone needs emotional generosity from you—patience, forgiveness, or understanding—and respond with the same lavish love the father showed.