8.50 Luke 15:11–32—“The Prodigal Son” by James Weldon Johnson

James Weldon Johnson (1871–1938) was an American author, politician, and civil rights activist known for his leadership within the NAACP and remembered as the composer of the hymn, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” He was one of the first African Americans to hold tenured positions at major American universities (New York and Fisk) and he left behind a body of poems, many of which have religious or biblical themes. “The Prodigal Son” is one of his best known works, remembered especially for its opening stanza.

Young man—

Your arm’s too short to box with God.