In your sight: Luke 15:18-19

In the story of the prodigal son, we read that, having become impoverished, the prodigal son comes to himself and resolves to “get up and go to my father, and will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.’’ (Luke 15:18-19) Here the Greek word translated “in your sight” can also be translated as “in front of” and is an acknowledgment by the son that his sins were not done in private, nor was he the only one affected by his sins. While his father may have not physically witnessed his sins, he was nevertheless affected by his son’s sins. He was deeply hurt and grieved by his son’s sins. In returning, the son does not say that he will repent to his father, for his sins were against God, but he does propose to acknowledge both the pain and suffering that his sins caused his father. Very rarely, if ever, does our sin hurt only ourselves. Often it is the people closet to us that are hurt the most when we sin. While repentance is important, often, it is also necessary to acknowledge and address the pain and suffering we have caused others. We must not only repent to God for the sin we committed against him, but we must also seek reconciliation for the hurt we caused to those before whom we sinned.