Attaining freedom involves mastering your mind, making your own choices, and building independence in both thought and action. It begins with knowing yourself deeply. Self-awareness allows you to recognize your desires, values, and the hidden limits you have set for yourself. By reflecting on your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, you can identify patterns that hold you back and begin making choices that align with your true self. Real self-understanding also means examining where you come from. Becoming aware of your existence encourages you to question how you came to be and the source of life itself.
Jesus proclaimed Himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, offering the most important message for anyone seeking true freedom. Many people invest vast amounts of money in building businesses or pursuing careers to achieve economic independence, but freedom goes beyond financial security. A person may have enough wealth to lack nothing in life, yet still be miserable and unable to influence their surroundings.
They may realize that, despite being able to cover medical expenses and address physical issues, they cannot guarantee their lifespan. These are realities no one can avoid, regardless of status. True freedom involves assurance of eternal life and the ability to shape one’s environment—something money alone cannot provide, nor can it safeguard health or protect against unexpected disasters. The assumption that physical life alone can offer freedom is delusional.
And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes” (Luke 12:15-23 NIV).
The wealthy man thought freedom meant living an easy life, doing nothing. He did not realize that true freedom involves not only hard work but also caring for others in one’s surroundings. This misunderstanding led some in Zimbabwe to believe that independence meant avoiding responsibility, which is why they are shocked when they fall into poverty despite having achieved independence as early as 1980.
One cannot claim to be independent while still relying on others for survival. As long as there is a reason to blame someone else for one’s problems, freedom remains out of reach—its cost is responsibility. True freedom is found through Jesus Christ, who called Himself the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The parable of the prodigal son outlines three specific steps toward achieving complete freedom through Him.
- Questioning One’s True Origin
“After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!’” (Luke 15:14-17 NIV).
The prodigal son once lived comfortably with his father before choosing to depart and enjoy himself. He asked for his inheritance to chase pleasures beyond his father’s watch. Unaware of the consequences, he embraced a fleeting freedom that would ultimately enslave him. Though granted liberty, he became disconnected from his roots. At first, this did not seem like a problem, as long as he had money to face life’s challenges.
When his funds ran out, he did not question the cause of his scarcity. Comfort with the temporary provisions can be deceptive. His inheritance made him forget his origins, yet he failed to prepare for future needs. Fueled by cash, he believed there was no need to think about where he came from, and so he lost sight of his identity. As often happens, it never occurred to him that his money could run out, as is common with anything physical.
The challenge for humans is that no matter how much wealth is amassed, it eventually fades away, just as physical life does. Even those living in luxury must face the inevitable end of life, much like the rest of humanity. Figuratively speaking, everyone’s life situation is not so different from that of the prodigal son. The fear of death troubles both the poor and the wealthy alike.
Some people pass away without ever having the chance to reflect on their origins, meaning they never achieve the precious freedom humanity seeks. The prodigal son might have died still enjoying his good life, without pondering where he came from. In this story, he is fortunate because he was able to consider his origin while still alive.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’ So he got up and went to his father” (Luke 15:17-20 NIV).
The prodigal son simply reflected on his identity and remembered his origin. Figuratively, this is the starting point toward attaining freedom. A person who discovers his identity takes the greatest stride toward freedom. This comes with a profound sense of humiliation, especially when noticing how far one has gone astray.
- Confronting Pride Without Flinching
The second step is letting go of prideful self-respect. A proud person often finds it easier to criticize others than to examine himself, and that is the toughest challenge, as it is impossible for a proud person to accept self-criticism. The prodigal son recalled that he had sinned against his father, and he acknowledged that his father was in the right. He recognized the need to face his unchecked wrongdoing toward his father. With a humble and remorseful spirit, he decided to seek mercy, hoping to be treated like a servant by his own father.
“I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son’” (Luke 15:18-19 NIV).
- Receiving Grace After Accepting Responsibility
The prodigal son did not arrogantly demand unconditional mercy from his loving father. He was aware of his father’s compassion, but imagining himself in his father’s place, he could not escape the grief caused by his own wayward actions. In other words, he could not see himself as worthy of forgiveness for his shameful wrongdoing. This same attitude is reflected in one of the two criminals crucified alongside Jesus.
One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:39-43 NIV).
The other criminal reflects the spirit of the prodigal son, admitting responsibility for his wrongdoing. For him, being on the cross beside Jesus brought the realization of Jesus’ sacrifice to free sinful humanity. His brief plea to Jesus brought the thief immediate redemption. Recognizing one’s sinfulness is just as important as gaining entry into the Father’s house. With a repentant heart, the criminal heard Jesus promise that he would be with Him in paradise, for no one can enter paradise without first being welcomed into the Father’s house.
“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:19-21 NIV).
His father did the unexpected—slaughtering a fat calf to welcome his wayward son, completely overlooking his past mistakes. The prodigal son probably felt as if it were a dream rather than reality. When he arrived, he expressed his remorse to his father, yet he was surely stunned when his father did not dwell on his waywardness and instead resisted any attempt to hold back his mercy toward someone who considered himself undeserving of such mercy.
And the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “Bring the best robe quickly, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” And they began to celebrate” (Luke 15:21-24 NIV).
As the prodigal son grieves his condition of worthlessness, the father celebrates his return to life. This shows that responsibility sustains life, as the son recognizes the harm and distress his wandering had caused his family. The most striking part of the parable is the father’s dedication to honor his son, taking it upon himself to remove his son’s shameful state. The story closes with an ecstatic, joyous reunion between father and son.
Clearly, the parable outlines the unmistakable three steps toward freedom. First, it emphasizes discovering one’s identity as a child of God. Second, it calls for rejecting all forms of pride before humbly submitting to God. Third, it speaks of receiving grace after accepting responsibility, with God clothing the sinner according to His divine standard.
The Dilemma of the Loyal Son
Responsibility goes beyond our own actions, encompassing the willingness to sacrifice personal interests to save those similarly lost in sin. The brother of the prodigal son stayed at his father’s home, ensuring everything was in order. He chose not to join the celebration when his brother returned, having remained faithful and supportive of his father, unlike the wayward son who wasted his father’s wealth. He never wronged his father, and the father’s unwavering loving mercy served as both a lesson and a source of comfort.
“Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’” (Luke 15:25-30 NIV).
In situations where people are quick to judge, it is easy to fault the loyal son for appearing jealous. Why didn’t he welcome his brother’s return? The parable is not about blaming—it is about the principle of responsibility. The elder son heard of his brother’s return from a servant, but information can feel uncertain unless it comes directly from the source. He was unaware of his brother’s remorse and assumed his father was celebrating the waywardness, which seemed like an unfair twist of justice. This highlights the importance of sharing information clearly.
Jesus advised against judging others (Matthew 7:1-5), and the father, full of love and compassion, understood his loyal son’s feelings. He did not criticize him for his discomfort, but reassured him of his steadfast love and helped him see the meaning behind restoring life to his once-lost brother. The father’s good communication bridged the gap left by the servant’s lack of detail, showing how miscommunication often leads to wrong judgments in the world.
And he said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found” (Luke 15:31-32 NIV).
The faithful son could not stay bitter once he understood his father’s feelings. His brother, once assumed to be dead and forgotten, had come back to life. Out of love, the father warmly welcomed his wayward son home. Being closely connected to his father, the loyal son could not fail to understand his father. We are not told what went through the mind of the former prodigal son as he reflected on his loyal brother, having spent all his life serving his aging father.
Embracing the principle of responsibility, he felt no jealousy, and his father declared that all his possessions belonged to the faithful brother. Naturally, the prodigal son chose to honor his elder brother as if to honor his father, mindful of that principle of responsibility. In this parable, Jesus is portrayed as the elder son who never left his father, carrying the burden of redeeming his wayward brother.
And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:33-34 NIV).
These words were spoken by someone in perplexity, observing what seemed like a father’s neglectful behavior. Jesus did not deserve such treatment, as He had not sinned against His Father. He rightly asked, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34 NIV). God did not spare Him from the crucifixion. Similarly, the father of the prodigal son could not undo his decision to forgive the wayward son just to satisfy his faithful son.
Only after the return of the wayward brother was the entire wealth declared to belong to the loyal son. In the same way, Jesus should be recognized as Lord by those who have been accepted as God’s children, after following the three steps of reconnecting with their Father. The faithful son in the parable had not previously owned his father’s wealth, and likewise, after His resurrection, Jesus is heard proclaiming words akin to those promised to the elder brother of the prodigal son.
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18 NIV).
Previously, He had not possessed any of His Father’s belongings before making the sacrifice for His wayward brother, which ultimately led to the crucifixion. Jesus made the declaration of owning the authority after the crucifixion. The journey of the cross is painful but justified when considering God’s everlasting love. It is important to remember that Jesus is not the only Son of God expected to bear the responsibility of carrying the cross on behalf of their brothers (1 John 3:16). He comes as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16), and the other kings and lords are not of this world, unlike those whose god is Satan.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilisation, which lays out standards for lifting Zimbabwe out of its current economic depression and into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, offering relief to those who have witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions leading to the current economic and social decay. Most Zimbabweans should find the book to be a long-awaited providential oasis of hope, in a simple conversational tone.
The Print copy is now available at Amazon.com for $13.99
Also available as an e-copy at Lulu.com for $6.99