Never
have I read a better contemporary illustration of the story of the prodigal son
than I’ve read in Out
of a Far Country by Christopher Yuan and Angela Yuan.
Yet
it is not the story of one prodigal. It’s the story of two. And perhaps three,
and more. Though it may be hard for many of us who call ourselves Christian to
recognize ourselves in this story, the fact is we are there, too.
Christopher
Yuan comes from an upper middle class family in Chicago. His father Leon is a
dentist; his mother Angela a homemaker who also serves as her husband’s
business administrator. Christopher goes to college and then medical/dental
school, the expectation being that he will join the family practice. On the
surface, the life of the Yuan family seems placid, stable and normal.
Except
that Angela and Leon have an increasingly empty, loveless marriage, both of
them carrying old family baggage and expectations.
And
except that Christopher is gay. He tells his parents and experiences almost
immediate rejection. He returns to his friends, the people he believes accept
him for what he is. And his finds that
acceptance is transient.
He
turns to drugs, an integral part of the gay club culture he enmeshes himself
in. And then he becomes a drug dealer, part of the drug sales and distribution
system that apparently blankets the country.
Angela
finds her way to faith. Never part of a church or religious tradition, she
still manages to find her way, after coming close to suicide. She begins to
spend an enormous amount of time on her knees. Praying. An unused shower stall
in the Yuan home becomes her prayer room.
Christopher’s
high-flying lasts for a time, and then he crashes, virtually overnight. Most of
his friends abandon him. His parents don’t. Instead, despite of the gigantic
mess he’s made of his life, his parents accept him and love him.
And
just when you think the story has hit rock bottom, you find it hasn’t. It gets
worse.
Out of a Far Country contains many
stories, and many themes. Brokenness is everywhere. Even the “most lost” living
the worst lives can be redeemed. Sin has consequences – in spite of redemption.
Loving is more important that judging. Forgiveness is vital. God can do
miraculous things with broken people.
All
of those stories and themes belong to the rest of us as well. We may not deal
drugs or live destructive, drug-fueled lifestyles, but we all know brokenness,
the need for forgiveness, and the need for love.
The
Yuan family is a living testimony for the rest of us.
Related:
Christopher
Yuan’s web site.
7 comments:
Oh my -- now I have another book to add to my pile of summer reads, except this one just might have to go on the top.
Great review. Thanks.
Thanks for adding another book to my reading list Glynn. :) Visited the web site and will check it out more. Thanks.
Incredible review! Thanks for sharing this, Glynn. Have you read "Prodigal God" by Tim Keller? If so, did you find any similarities between the two books?
Wow, Glynn. This really sounds incredible. I love people's stories and especially testimonies. I'm going to have to check this one out.
I heard them interviewed on the radio just a short time ago Glynn. It is such an uplifting, miraculous story of grace and unconditional love.
Sounds like a good one for the "to buy" list.
Brokenness is everywhere. Even the “most lost” living the worst lives can be redeemed. Sin has consequences – in spite of redemption. Loving is more important that judging. Forgiveness is vital. God can do miraculous things with broken people.
I love those lines, Glynn
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