Do This After You Have Made A Bad Decision.

Luke 15:13-14 - "And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living.  14 Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished."  NASU 

• The Prodigal Son's Bad Decision 

The above text is about the prodigal son's bad decision.
 
The Bible text is a parable that Jesus is telling. The younger son's bad decision is to leave the protection and security that he has with his father. Jesus is telling all humans if you leave the protection of your heavenly Father, this is a bad decision.
 
If you go out into the world and take on the devil and his cohorts you will get your butt kicked. So he goes out from the father's house and the next thing we see is he has "squandered his estate with loose living."
 
In other words the world took everything he had and when he had nothing more to take, they were through with him.
 
I can only speak for myself, but I would love to have the money back I squandered on loose living in my past. I can remember thinking my father was holding me back from going into the world and making my fortune.
 
I left Ohio and headed to Florida where I was going to strike it rich. I came back homefour years later busted, and my ego was deflated. 

• The Prodigal Son's Smart Decision 

There have been many things written about how stupid the prodigal son was, but I want to focus on what he did after he made his bad decisions. Let's read the next few verses:
 
"So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.  16 "And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him.  17 "But whenhe came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger!  18'I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight;  19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men."'  20 "So he got up and came to his father. 
 
What can be done when you have made a bad decision?
 
First, he got a job. He took anything he could get. It wasn't a glorious job. It was anything but glorious. It was simply a job feeding pigs.
 
Second, as he was working he was devising a plan to better himself. He wanted out of his dilemma. He wasn't looking for any freebies. The text says, "But when he came to his senses…."
 
I think this is the real key to what he did. He had a change of ATTITUDE.
When we first see him he is greedy and believes he is missing out on what the world has to offer. He wants his inheritance and he wants to be free. He wanted to hit the road. He saw living with his dad as very boring.
 
This all sounds very familiar to me.
 
It has been said, "Where your heart is your feet will follow." His heart was in another country and that is where he went.
 
When he came to his senses he changed his attitude. The best decision we can make is to keep our attitude in check.
 
Don't be greedy and don't think you are missing out on what the world has to offer.
 
Third, he owned his mistake or bad decision. He decided to get up and go to his father and tell him he made a mistake.
 
If you make a mistake own it. I'm sure it won't  be your first nor will it be your last. Just own it. 

• Our Smart Decision 

Now keep in mind this is a parable, and the Father in this story is God. If you have made a bad decision go to Him and confess it. This will be one decision, you will never regret.
 
When you make a bad decision the one thing you want to do is maintain a positive attitude. I didn't say you had to be happy about your losses or bad decision, but stay positive and find your way back to the Father.
 
Think On This:
 
The biggest fool of all is the one who refuses to profit from his mistakes. 
 
Stay Pumped, 

Gary A. Serago
 
Minister of God's Word

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