Cultural Lenses and the Prodigal Son

The Parable of the Prodigal Son is a familiar story (if it isn’t, you can read it in Luke 15). With this parable in mind, let me begin with a simple question: why did the younger son fall on hard times?

Was it his reckless lifestyle – the choices he made in a distant land?

Was it his decision to leave his family and community?

Was it the terrible famine?

Or the lack of a safety net when everything fell apart?

The passage itself doesn’t single out one reason. Instead, it seems to hold all these together. And yet, as readers, we might only recall one explanation. I must admit, when I was asked this question, I completely forgot that the famine was part of the text at all.

Why is that?

The way we read Scripture is shaped by who we are and what we bring to it – our culture, values, and lived experience. What stands out to us often reflects what we believe matters most.

If a strong sense of personal responsibility is important to us, we may focus on the son’s bad choices. If relationships and belonging are central for us, we may notice that he left his family and community. If we think more in terms of provision and security, the famine and lack of hospitality stand out. 

These perspectives are sometimes described as cultural lenses. Like a pair of glasses – or even an accent – it is easy to forget we have them at all.

All of us experience guilt, shame, and fear at different times. We can all identify with wanting to do what is right, honourable, and life-giving. But often one of these dimensions shapes us more deeply than the others. It influences what we want, what we see as most wrong, and what we most long to be restored from. It shapes how we hear the good news of the gospel. Do we come guilty, seeking forgiveness; as shamed, longing for welcome and restoration; or frightened looking for refuge and strength?

I have been reminded of this recently by a friend of mine. We often pray together, and she begins with a long, passionate declaration: “Lion of Judah, Almighty God, our Great High Priest, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords…” 

At first, I found it a bit unsettling. It felt unfamiliar to me, even overwhelming. But I think I have begun to understand. For her, this is where she needs to begin – with God in His strength and authority. Before anything else, she prayers, reminding herself that He is greater than anything she faces.

My brief, “Father in Heaven” or “Father Almighty” doesn’t do that  in quite the same way.

Christ is, of course, all of this. We have all fallen short and He graciously meets us in our need – He forgives us, restores us, welcomes us home and is strong for us.

As we welcome people from different backgrounds into our church, we may start to notice some of these differences more. At times, it can make us pause, even feel a little uncomfortable. But it can be a gift too. We notice our own lenses, and glimpse through someone else’s. And in doing so, we come to know more of who God is.

Coming back to the Parable of the Prodigal Son, we listen again with fresh ears. We notice the son’s guilt, but also his longing to belong. We notice the Father’s forgiveness, but also the restoration of honour (the robe, the ring, the feast). We notice the party, but also the safety of being welcomed in. 

By Hazel Sorsamo