Luke 15:17

“But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish here with hunger!' ”

But while feeding and looking after the pigs he had plenty of time to think, and eventually he ‘woke up'. He ‘came to himself'. He recognised what a fool he had been, and what a fool he now was, and how he had sinned against his father, and against God. These latter were the marks of genuine repentance. And he also recognised how well off his father's servants were compared with his own position. He had not only forfeited his sonship (in Jewish eyes he had forfeited it the moment that he began to use his inheritance recklessly and disobediently instead of for the family honour) but he had even fallen to a level below his father's lowest servant. At least they were properly clothed and well fed, while he starved and was in rags.

What a difference there now was from the arrogant young man who had so loudly demanded his inheritance. Now he was humbled and willing to be a servant. There was a lesson here even for the disciples. For Jesus was constantly telling His own disciples that they must learn to desire to be servants (Luke 22:24). And it had all been brought about by adversity. The fire that Jesus had kindled (Luke 12:49) was working on his life.