Biography
Dr. Benjamin Reaves is Vice President for Ministries at Adventist Health System in Orlando, Florida. Ben was born in New York City and is ordained in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He served as President of Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama for 11 years, and was Director of the Center for Global Leadership of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists before taking his current post. Recognized for his dynamic preaching, Dr. Reaves has spoken to audiences all over the world. [Biographical information is correct as of the broadcast date noted above.]

"Another Look at an Old, Old Story" 
  
It is a memorable story that compels and commands our attention with its rich, verbal imagery and broad descriptive strokes. "A certain man had two sons." And deftly with subtle shadings, there is sketched out a series of unforgettable scenes set in the panorama of the Gospel. A wayward son, a winding road, a waiting father, a welcoming celebration…"A certain man had two sons."

An old, old story of prodigals, penitents, consequences and celebration. A familiar story, and its very familiarity suggests that we take another look. Another look that does not change the story, so much as it may reveal some insights we may have missed, or misread. The danger of a shallow perspective requires us to take another look at this old, old story.

Luke 15:11-13: "Then He said: 'A certain man had two sons.' And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.' So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living."

Take another look, and understand.

I. You don't have far to go...to go to the far country.

The flow of the narrative can cause us to misread "far country." Actually, it has little to do with physical distance. Its not by our feet but with our affections we leave or return to God. The "far country" can be just one step away, so close, its hard to realize you are there. It's never far to the far country and it's reached not by accident but by choice, willfully crossing spiritual boundaries and ignoring moral check points.

In addition, there are all sorts of far countries, with many different names, not just the country of wild loose, licentious living. So often we comfort ourselves with the vulgarity and coarseness of the prodigal's sins. We see them in lurid, living color. We hear them in digital, quadraphonic sound: the pulsating beat, the hypnotic rap, and we forget there are all sorts of far countries.

There is the country of material obsession, the far country of rebellion or alienation, the far country of deceit and dishonesty, the far country of squandered gifts and talents. For the fact is, anyone wasting God-given talent, time, opportunity and capacity is in a far country. You don't have far to go…to go to the far country.

And the story goes on...

"And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living."

Take another look and understand.

II. The loss of material things is the least part of the bankruptcy of life.

So many times in focusing on the recklessness of his sin, we see the material loss, and do not realize the loss of the material is the least part of the bankruptcy of life. Whatever the appearance may be, every life centered in self is mis-spent. Whoever attempts to live apart from God is wasting his or her substance. He or she is squandering precious years, wasting the powers of mind and heart and soul.

It was one of those brief TV interviews that reveal more than is anticipated. She was reviewing her life spent on the fast track. Showgirl, escort, high priced call girl. "But you weren't raised that way," said the TV host. And in the stark, grainy black and white of the TV medium the camera zoomed in on a tight shot of her face, revealing the wear and tear of her life journey and more. As she recounted how she was raised and the values she once knew, even after all those years, a slight tremor near her mouth spread slowly across her face, forcing out unwanted but uncontrolled tears: tears over the gradual lowering of personal standards of right and wrong, tears over the loss of purest ideals and principles.

Think about the substance that's wasted: potential, possibilities, ideals, values, gifts, talents, youthful hopes. The price of tuition in the far country is high. And the so-called freedom always leads to judgement, accountability, and the consequences of wasted heritage.

Sadly, it doesn't compute. There is a limit to the substance that can be wasted, until finally we are face to face with bankruptcy, the consequences of principles prostituted, convictions compromised, and values discarded...wasted.

Why wasted? Somehow in the classroom of life, from the curriculum of a sick society, we have learned to believe consequences can be avoided; believe the devilish delusion you can make choices and not face consequences. Sadly we seem unaware that the loss of material things is the least part of the bankruptcy of life.

And the story continues...

"Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything."

Take another look and understand.

III. Pigpens can look like a penthouse, and still be a pigpen.

In her biography she told of trips with the rich and the famous; spoke of voyages on multi-million dollar yachts, helicopters used as taxi cabs. And then she described the perversion, the chemical abuse, the physical excess, finally, summing it up, "like being in a zoo filled with disgusting animals."

Pigpens can look like a penthouse and still be a pigpen. This is important to remember, for some feel this does not pertain to me. I'm making more money than ever before, driving better, living large. Surely I have no relationship to a prodigal in a pigpen.

But, I would suggest, take another look at the debonair, the dignified, the suave sophisticated players. Never mind the hip ambiance. Listen closely, and beneath the witty small talk you may hear a grunt or two. That happens in pig pens. For the truth is, some air conditioned, Persian-carpeted penthouse condominiums are nothing but pigpens.

The sad fact is, it can be harder to come to your senses in a penthouse pigpen. You see, in our Western society we equate prosperity with righteousness, sin with poverty and rags. The strange thing with that is how people can see you on top, and you know you've hit bottom. Found out the hard way, a penthouse can be a pigpen.

As the parable continues...

"But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father.'"

Take another look...and understand.

IV. Action does not always follow awareness.

This parable is a story of what can happen, not necessarily what will happen. Too many find foolish and false comfort with ideas that, one day, some day, I'll come to myself and arise and go. But not today.

It is a tragic truth, while the parable ends in celebration and forgiveness, and it can be that way, it is not necessarily always that way. For the painful paradox is, from the far country that is one step away, it can take a life time to find your way back…even when you know the way back. Action does not always follow awareness.

Only one element can change that. So take another look at the love of a waiting Father. First, more, more than a love to return to, it's a love to never leave. You don't have to go to the "far country". And if you have left, it's a love that is waiting for your return. A love that can face our unworthiness and forgive our sinfulness. The passage is pointed and powerful. While he was yet "a great way off," the father sees him as he is and, in spite of what he had done and what he had become, still he "had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck" in a loving, accepting embrace.

The prodigal found hope in the conviction of his father's love. That same love now tugs at your heart. For your Father declares, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee."

Come Home.

Interview with Benjamin Reaves
Interviewed by Lydia Talbot

Lydia Talbot: Ben, a provocative interpretation of the parable of the prodigal son, but how many of us ever really get the message of unconditional love?

Benjamin Reaves: That's the question and that's the reason the story needs to be told again and again because the desperate need is the need to know that there is unconditional love.

Talbot: And, of course, in today's language, the wayward son had gone off to "find himself" perhaps.

Reaves: Oh, surely.

Talbot: Looking at it that way, when did that message become real for you? As you look back over your long and distinguished career with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, college president, Oakwood College for eleven years, when did you see that message made real among those whose lives you've touched?

Reaves: Well first of all, let me just express the reality for me personally. I was born and raised in Harlem in New York City and I can think of those times when I was like the prodigal and I rejoice and am forever grateful that my earthly father and my Heavenly Father both offered me that unconditional love that helped me find my way.

Talbot: Give us an example. What was that moment for you when you were growing up?

Reaves: I was in academy at the time. It was after a religious presentation and I can remember talking with my father about it, about its difference for me and what I might want to do with my life. I even mentioned the word ministry and in his always supportive and confirming way, he shared with me his joy that I would be willing, by God's grace, to extend my life in ministry.

Talbot: Did you ever envision when you were a student yourself at Oakwood College, with your lovely wife of 45 years, that you would one day be its president?

Reaves: No way, shape, form or fashion, and I imagine many of the faculty members who had me as a student never dreamed that one day I'd be president of the college!

Talbot: And that she would also be a distinguished teacher of home economics and home management for many years there. You returned to a church led by one of your former students. What's it like to see one of your students excel in leadership in the church?

Reaves: It's, number one, a great feeling and then, of course, it brings some misguided thoughts to mind such as, "Well, look, he was nothing until he came to me. Look what I made of him?" which is, of course, not so. But then you settle down to reality and you realize that the grace of God has worked in his life and you are privileged to play a part.

Talbot: What a beautiful way to conclude our visit, Dr. Benjamin Reaves. It is a joy to have you with us.

Reaves: Thank you so much, Lydia.