The drug addict and the prodigal son

Not a day passes without a news account of the terror of drug addiction. This scourge is widespread in our cities and towns. In this article Neera Kapur unfolds the psychological significance of drug addiction that imperils our nation. Neera is a Christian Science healer who helps to find solutions to problems through prayer and divides her time between the Philippines and India.

The prodigal son turns to drugs  

“As I have been praying about the drug trafficking situation that the world is confronted with, the following verse from the Bible in the book of Jeremiah 17:14 made me think of a drug addict’s cry to God for help: Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.

“My heart goes out to every child of God and I ask myself why, why should one want to turn to something that he knows is not good for him, his family, community, country and so on?  Obviously there is a vacuum in one’s experience and it needs to be filled though certainly not with drugs!

“I am reminded of the story of the prodigal son in the Bible. A father had two sons we are told and the younger asked his father for his inheritance and then wasted his substance with riotous living. Let’s consider the riotous living as turning to drugs, wasting his life but the love of his father, waiting to receive him was stronger than the hold drugs seemed to have.  Why?”

The father waits with open arms

“From my study of this story and several Bible commentaries, the father is considered to be God. There is no condemnation for the son, no criticism but just patient love. One day, the son realizes his folly and decides to return to his father and work as a servant since he believes he has sinned.  Was the father waiting with a rod, a stick, all his servants to teach him a lesson?  No, Love, God is always waiting to receive His children with open arms and that is the turning point in anyone’s experience when after having committed wrong, he feels the Father’s love and is not afraid but responds to the love that is waiting patiently.

“In the case of the Prodigal Son, he was received with open arms. A banquet was prepared upon his return.  We too, can let our hearts be moved with compassion, not pity; with love that will transform and redeem the individual; love that will call the Prodigal home. Isn’t it the right of every child of God to feel loved?”

The vacuum that can only be filled with love

“Author Mary Baker Eddy writes in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures “This seeming vacuum is already filled with divine Love. We too through our wise and watchful parenting can be available to our children, and if they fall help them rise again.  

“There is no substitute to unselfed love; it satisfies one’s craving/longing like nothing else can so let us love. Together we can fill hearts and minds with love and there will be no desire for anything else.”

Where does the problem start?

“I know from experience that every situation however impossible it may seem to us, does have a healing solution as we turn to God. The question that came to me was Where does this problem really start – who makes drug traffickers? Doesn’t it begin with each one of us?

“Here’s an example. An acquaintance and I were discussing corruption amongst the police force responsible for controlling traffic.  The individual spoke of having to bribe policemen on several occasions.  When I asked why he said, oh you know I couldn’t help it, I went through a red light; I just couldn’t find parking and so had to stop just below a no parking sign and so on.  It was obvious that he really did not want to break the rule, but without thinking had gone along with what everyone was doing, right or wrong.

“Who is responsible for the corruption, the one who gives a bribe or the one who takes it? The truth dawned on him as he was silent for a while and then said, now I see if there is no one to offer money there is no one to take it and if I follow the law, such a situation will not occur.”

How the home contributes to the problem

“Similarly, as parents we can ask ourselves how we can contribute towards the eradication of drugs.  Can we? Oh yes we can.

“A young man I knew turned to drugs and had a rough time coming out of this habit. He had to go through various medical processes with no result until a friend asked him why he was spoiling his future and causing much distress in the family.

“The boy replied ‘family,’ which family. Have you not seen how my father treats my mother?  He beats her and me from time to time and I can’t stand this.  Why can’t he love me like all normal fathers do, why can’t he respect my mum?

“The young boy was craving for love not drugs. A vacuum had been created and in order to fill this vacuum, he had turned to drugs. A statement from the same book mentioned earlier says “This seeming vacuum is already filled with Divine Love” (a term used for God by the same author).

“As parents, we play an important role in the lives of our children. We can be role models and give them the love they are craving for, there will then be no need for anything else. Our individual and collective contribution can and will eradicate this problem. When there is no one to want drugs, there will be no one to sell to!”