Reading Scripture Through CQ Lenses
I have a question for you. Of all the parables that are found in the gospels, which is your favorite parable to preach on? I suspect many say it would be the parable of the lost son (the KJV uses the term “prodigal son”). If you look at the Sermon Central website, you will find at least over 800 sermons reflecting that story. At first glance, it appears so simple to share the message of a Father that is anxious and willing to accept us when we repent from our sins.
I found however that there are more treasures to uncover in this passage when we read it through what I call Cultural Intelligence Lenses. To understand what I mean let me explain what Cultural Intelligence (CQ) is. As you have read in previous articles, having CQ is having the ability to understand and communicate with people who are from cultures different from our own. CQ can actually be measured and evaluated by developing the ability to understand your own culture and interpreting without judgment the cultures of others. To do this effectively you have to know how varied our cultural values are in areas such as individualism versus collectivism, high power versus low power distance, being versus doing, and being cooperative versus competitive.
Looking at people through CQ lenses can also affect the way we read a Bible passage. In the story of the lost son, for example, you miss a lot if you don’t see how deeply embedded it is in the honor-shame world, a deeply collective culture. In an honor-shame world, the driving force is not to bring shame upon yourself, your family, and your community. This is different from our own western perspective of a guilt-innocent world, in which our decisions are made based on an objective and individualistic basis of right and wrong.
So let’s look at the story this way. When the younger son asks for his portion of the inheritance, he has in essence brought shame to the family and the community’s expectation is to deny his request and banish him from the family. The father however takes on shame by giving him permission to take his portion and do what he likes. To get the money that he wants he must sell the allotted property to a Gentile, which in turn adds further shame since the Jewish community would refuse to buy property under such circumstances.
He is forced to move to a far land where he squanders all his money and is left working for Gentiles as a servant envying the food of an unclean animal. He repents of the shame he has brought upon himself and his family and so he returns, hoping against hope that he will be accepted as an indentured servant. However, the listening audience is amazed to hear from Jesus how the Father rescues his son from community shame by running and embracing his son, giving him new clothes, and a signet ring, and inviting everyone to dine with him in celebration of his return. Yet the story does not end there. The tables have now turned, and the older son openly shames his family before the entire community by refusing to accept his father’s hospitality. What does the father do? The father again goes against community expectations and moves outside and endears his older son to join in the celebration. The interesting thing is that the story ends with no apparent conclusion as to how the older son responded to the father’s appeal.
What is Jesus doing here? Jesus is widening the circle of acceptance and accountability by inviting his listeners to take the place of the older son and respond. What Jesus is saying is that those you condemn, such as sinners and tax collectors, are invited to come into the kingdom and so are you.
Reading this passage through CQ lenses has opened my eyes to how truly gracious our God is. Now the passage in Hebrews 12:2 makes perfect sense: “… keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”
Carmelo Mercado has served in his current role as the Lake Union’s general vice president for 18 years. He is also Multicultural Ministries director for the Lake Union and secretary for the Adventist-laymen's Services & Industries (ASI) Lake Union chapter.