It is probably inevitable that parents of prodigals will struggle with anger over the endless impact of the destructive choices of their wayward son or daughter. Their manipulation, lies, and repeated efforts to use you to their advantage can provoke an anger you never thought a parent could have toward their child. If not checked, this anger will damage your other relationships, impair your ability to reach out in love to your prodigal, and jeopardize your spiritual health.
A prodigal is accountable for the sinful choice provoking our anger, but we are accountable for our response to their choice. Their sinful action does not justify a sinful response on our behalf. We must never excuse our sin because it was provoked by the sin of another. When confronted with our sinful response—either internally, by the Spirit’s conviction, or by someone else—we must stop when the words “Yes, but” arise in our heads or flow from our lips. We must not allow ourselves to seek justification for a sinful response—in reality, there is none.
Though the public nature of our prodigal’s actions may have brought embarrassment to our family, should it matter what others think? Did not Paul declare, “But with
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