Luke 15:11-32

Once there was a girl who had been grafted into an imperfect yet loving family later in her life, not as a child, but on the edge of adulthood. Her new, very human, family had opened their arms to her, offering love, safety, and a home. She was given a fresh start, a chance to belong, and an invitation to grow into all she was meant to be.

But healing takes time, and wounds from the past don’t fade overnight. Though her parents gave her a place at their table, her heart often wrestled with questions: Do I belong here? Can I trust this love? What if I’m not enough, or too much? Why would they love me? The pull of independence and old survival habits tugged at her, leading her to believe that freedom meant leaving the family that she had chosen and who had also chosen her.

One day, the girl decided to leave for college and with excitement her parents helped her prepare. They encouraged her to remember her promises to herself and encouraged her to dream of the life she wanted and opened their hands to release her from her family covering into this new life stage, adulthood.

She began to pull away from her family. She told herself she needed space, that she didn’t need the boundaries of her new family. She longed to prove she could make it on her own. Her parents knew they couldn’t force her to stay. They had taught her the value of love and boundaries, but they also knew love must be a choice. And so, with tears in their eyes and prayers in their hearts, they hugged her tight and they let her go. The hooks of her past were pulling her into spaces that her family was not welcome to enter.

The Role of Boundaries

What the girl didn’t fully understand at the time was that the boundaries her family had set were never meant to keep her out. They were meant to keep deception and harm away. Those boundaries were the walls of a fortress designed to protect what mattered most: their trust, their peace, their family unity.

Her parents hoped that one day she would see that those walls weren’t built to trap her, they were built to shelter her. They weren’t a rejection of her independence; they were a declaration of her worth. She was worthy of love that would protect her from harm and guide her toward a life of honesty, trust, and wholeness.

The Waiting Parent

As the girl walked away, her parents were left with their questions: Did we love her enough? Did we teach her the value of family, of belonging, of herself? Did we set the right boundaries, and were they clear enough to show her their purpose?💜

The father from the parable of the Prodigal Son became their inspiration. Like him, they didn’t chase after her, trying to control her choices. Instead, they waited, their hearts always turned toward her, their eyes scanning the horizon for the moment she might return.

The waiting wasn’t passive. It was active love. They prayed for her protection. They kept her place at the table, and their hearts soft. They reminded themselves daily that love doesn’t fail, even when it feels like it’s not enough. They trusted that the seeds of love they had planted in her life would grow in their own time.

The Return

In the story Jesus told, the prodigal son eventually “came to his senses” and realized the truth: that he had left the safety of a love that never wavered. He returned to his father, expecting judgment or rejection, but instead found open arms, celebration, and restoration.

For the daughter to truly show her parents that she has experienced a change of heart, it would require more than just words or an apology it would require visible, consistent actions that reflect a transformed lifestyle. Just as the prodigal son returned home ready to live as a servant and not demand his former status, the daughter would need to demonstrate humility, respect for the family’s values, and a willingness to honor the boundaries that protect the family. Her parents, while eager to welcome her with open arms, would need to see that she not only understands the cost of her choices but is committed to living differently moving forward. This would mean building trust over time, showing gratitude for their love, and taking responsibility for her actions, 💜not to earn their love but to honor it💜. True change is REFLECTED in how she approaches relationships, decisions, and her role within her family.

For the parents of this young girl, this was their hope. They didn’t know when or if she would return, but they trusted in the power of love. They wanted her to know that no matter how far she went or how long she stayed away, she was never truly alone. Their love would always be waiting, not to shame her but to welcome her back home.

A Parent’s Prayer

“Lord, I’ve done my best, but I still wonder if it was enough. I hope she saw that the boundaries were not to reject her, but to show her value. I hope she understands that our love is unconditional, even when it feels imperfect. And I hope she knows, deep down, that she is welcome here. Help me to keep my heart soft and my hope alive. Let her find the strength to return, not just to us, but to the truth of who she is, a beloved daughter worthy of love, safety, and grace.”