The moment of truth in the family business

Last week’s reflection on The Parable of the Prodigal Son was about how we can take our family members, or our current situation in the family business, for granted. It isn’t until we lose those relationships, or we find ourselves in vulnerable or desperate circumstances, that we realize what we’ve lost.

This point when we do realize the consequences of our choices is profound. You see it happen to the younger son:

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!’” (Luke 15:17)

The younger son “came to himself.” He woke up. He had an epiphany, a revelation, a breakthrough. Whatever you call it, it was a watershed moment in the younger son’s journey. He thinks about his plight in comparison to his father’s employees, and he begins to realize not just his predicament, but as we’ll see next week, he begins to comprehend what he’s done.

The brevity of those three words — “came to himself” — belie the actual (and often long) process of “coming to” oneself. We know that the younger son was broke, hungry, and alone. He had to beg for work and food. He went from a position of status and comfort and wealth, of having everything, to having nothing. We don’t know whether it took days or weeks or months. Over time, though, his physical situation became increasingly dire.

But there was surely an emotional process of awakening. He likely went through a period of denial then embarrassment. There may have been a phase of blaming others. He probably spent some time justifying his actions, telling himself he had no choice. Then he might have felt shame. At some point he accepted reality. I wonder how one measures the emotional distance between your mistake and your cognizance?

Do you recall making a big mistake in your family or family business? How long did it take from the point of making the mistake to your realization you were wrong?