“But the father said to his servants, ‘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 fatted calf and kill it and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” – Luke 15:22-24
The Prodigal Son is one of my favorite parables. I came to appreciate verse 24 in a powerful way when I met Bryon.
Bryon was one of our homeless guests who came every day and sat in the atrium. He slept most of the day, his folded arms for his pillow. He rarely made eye contact or smiled. He walked slumped over like he carried the weight of the world. Bryon was in his early 30s and had been on the streets for quite a while. Some of the staff befriended Bryon, making sure he had something to eat. They began to sit around the table and engage him in conversation, learning that while Bryon suffered from mental illness, he was very intelligent, and that cleanliness was a priority.
One day, I sat at the table with Bryon and learned more of his heartbreaking story. I encouraged him to come to worship and to find a Sunday School class. It took him a long while, but one day as I looked out over the congregation, I saw him sitting in the back. We made eye contact and he waved. After worship, he came through my line; we hugged, and I told him how glad I was to see him. My husband and I took Bryon to lunch at Red Lobster, his favorite place.
That was the beginning of a friendship in which I learned so much from Bryon: learning to trust God for everything; that to sleep on the streets means you stay alert and afraid at night, so you sleep all day; learning to enjoy the simple things of life. Bryon became Jesus to me and to our congregation. He made friends with those who sat on the pews around him; he joined a class and a bible study. The youth of the parents in the class insisted that Bryon be invited to their home on special holidays so he wouldn’t be alone.
I can share many stories about Bryon, but for this devotional, let me tell you that I watched “a lost soul become found.” I watched as Bryon began to trust others, and as he did, his posture changed. He began to talk more and smile more. He had a smile that would light up a room. I always encouraged Bryon to join the church. He waited many years and then a week before Easter, he told me he wanted to join. “Church is my home,” he said. Of course, he had to have a suit; he picked out a baby blue suit and when he walked down the aisle on Easter Sunday to join, it was a most sacred and holy homecoming. This your son, who once was lost is now found. I always liked to say that the people of God loved Bryon back to life. In all honestly, he loved us into life as well. A glorious homecoming for all. Thanks be to God!
– Rev. Linda Harker, Pastor of Online Community
