Lent day 18: all our kids

¹¹Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. ¹²The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. ¹³A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living.¹⁴When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. ¹⁶He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. ¹⁷But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! ¹⁸I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; ¹⁹I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.”’ ²⁰So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. ²¹Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’²²But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.²³And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; ²⁴for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate. 

He had been playing football since he was seven years old.  He tore up the field right from the beginning.  Speed and agility and that something special that you can't really identify.  The big high school programs in his state all wanted him.  He and his mom moved to the city so that he could be with Coach. It seemed everyone had an opinion about what he should do.  Colleges were calling, coming by the weight room, watching practices -- right from freshman year. High School was a blur -- barely time for classes and homework between practice, private speed training (thanks to the boosters).  Mom was working all the time -- made it to games thanks to the other parents, but otherwise there was little downtime.  Coach said to stay away from that conference -- not enough care for/about players.  But everyone was talking NFL.  Most recruits from those schools.  More TV time.  More everything.  Promises on top of promises.  Sure to start.  Best training in the country.  Academic support.  Amazing alumni support.  He put on the big school's hat on signing day.  Coach said a silent prayer when the microphones and cameras came out.  

Everything was faster and more complicated at the big school.  And everyone seemed to have so much money.  Full tuition didn't include books, and fees and a lot of other expenses.  No time to work -- constantly training.  He wasn't going to call mom for pizza money.  No one to talk to, no one helped anyone. Not like home. He had closets of logo-ed sneakers, cleats, warm-ups, hats, but no cash.  One of the boosters knew someone who would buy the logo stuff.  But then the press found out -- a setup?  What page on the NCAA rules?  Can't play.  Losing the scholarship.  NFL hopes evaporating. Few options.
Bus home -- no plane this time.  At the station, a hero's welcome.  Mom, coach, the whole high school team. The whole high school.  It is all more complicated than anyone expected.  You are ours.  We are family.  You won't be lost for long.  We are the father, to all our children.