Stronger Than the Cords of Death

In the parable of the prodigal son, the wayward child eventually found himself feeding pigs as his only means of survival. We read, “And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.” The pigs had better food than he did, and it was finally at this moment that “he came to himself.” The story continues, “He said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father” (Luke 15:17-20). I believe that what this suggests is that the original parting between this son and his father was one where the father’s love was given. Surely if the father had seen his son off with angry words and bitter feelings, his son would have not seen a return to his father as an option. If the father had denounced his son as no longer worthy of being in his household upon the rash decision to take everything and leave, the story would have surely had a very different ending. But the father, I believe, had showed the same kind of love before the separation as the account records he did upon his son’s return. Deep down the son wanted to return to his father’s house because he knew there was still love there for him. So perhaps one of the messages for parents today is that no matter what our children do, we must always keep our home full of love for them. We must do everything so that they know that no matter where they go or what mistakes they make, there will always be a place for them in our home.

               The modern scripture that comes to mind when I think about this idea is this instruction from the Prophet Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail: “No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile—Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy; That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:41-44). Our homes should be filled with persuasion, long-suffering, gentleness, meekness, kindness, and love unfeigned. When reproof is needed, it must be followed up with “an increase of love” towards our children so that they can know that no matter what they do, our faithfulness and love towards the is “stronger than the cords of death.” When that is the environment that we strive to raise our children in, then surely those cords of faithfulness will bring them back even if they at some time venture into foreign countries that bring them down.

               I loved this story that Hank Smith told on a recent podcast: “I remember a friend of mine telling me about their son had run off. He had problems in drugs and different things and he went off to his far country. They didn't know where he was for the longest time. I don't know if maybe I've shared this on another time before. They didn't know where he was for the longest time. One day he was up in the canyons over an open fire, he was homeless, and heating a can of beans on an open fire. That was a Sunday. He knew that every Sunday his mother would fix a big special meal and all the family would all be there. He's sitting there on his own. He is in his own pigsty there. He knows what's at home and he knows his mother and his family. Just the memory of Sunday dinner with the family is enough. He stamps out the fire and walks home, opens the door. There's the seat that he used to sit out at the table. He sat down at the table, welcomed back with love, given the robe, the ring, the shoes, the embrace, the kiss.” I hope my children know as well that there is always Sunday dinner here for them too, no matter how far they venture off.