The Kiss

“Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.”

 (Luke 15:20 - NLT)

The word “Repentance” means many things to many people. Religion has its own definition and most would suggest that the son in the far country returned to the father with a truely repentant heart. But I suspect he did not.

As in all of his parables Jesus is re defining our understanding of such things – for the heart can become religious without becoming repentant (truly turning your life around). Some people make promises to God in a time of trial or danger, what we might term - self-preservation religion. This is exactly where we find the young man our story. He faced a desperate situation – his life was at stake and he had lost everything at home including his reputation. His only hope was to swallow his pride and offer to work for his father as a servant. Perhaps in so doing, over the years he could earn some money and salvage a little of his tattered reputation. Self-preservation was his motive – not repentance and certainly not restoration.

Interestingly, the little speech he had prepared for his father was never finished – he did not get to the point of saying – “take me on as a hired man” (Luke 15:19). It was not that father interrupted him – but there was a moment of true repentance, brought about by a kiss. Yes – true repentance can take place in a moment of time – it need not be a drawn out process.

The kiss is full of symbolism within eastern culture. This was a kiss of peace, of acceptance, of restoration and of reconciliation. There was no blame, no demand for restoration of his squandered inheritance and no condemnation – just acceptance and reconciliation. In that moment he became the son he had never been before, in that moment he saw father as he had never seen him before, life would never be the same again.

This story reveals the true nature of repentance – not morbid regret coupled with the burden of dreary religious duty - just resting in Father’s love and forgiveness. The Father longs to throw his arms around us and kiss us – to accept us not to blame us to love us not to condemn us - this is His heart towards us.