Article June 22, 1957 Issue

PUT THE BEST ROBE ON HIM

KATHKRINE S. WHITNEY

In the much-loved parable of the prodigal son, Christ Jesus taught many precious lessons. The lessons of forgiveness and restoration are two of these. At the request of his younger son, the father in the parable divided his goods and gave this son's portion to him (see Luke, Chapter 15). The son went far from his father's house and wasted his goods. Finally he came to himself and started back to his home. His father saw him while he was far off, ran to meet him, and treated him compassionately.

After the son's expression of remorse and humility, the father commanded the servants to "bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet." The father rejoiced that the son had returned; that he who "was dead," unresponding to truth, was "alive again," awake to a higher sense of existence. It was not just any robe that the father put on him, nor a second best; he called for the best robe to be put on him. A ring was put on the son's hand and shoes on his feet. He was restored to an honored position as the father's son.

Are we bringing forth the best robe? Are we putting it on our brother? Are we seeing him with true vision, in the light of spiritual understanding, in the light of good? Are we always honoring him as the son of God? Through sincere desire and with God's help we too can see our brother when he is seemingly a great way off and "bring forth the best robe, and put it on him." We can see him in the light of divine Love and behold him robed in good, in perfection. We can honor him as the son of God.

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