We can learn this much from the Pharisees: don't assume you have a corner on understanding God. It seems like the Pharisees just wouldn't listen. Each time they questioned Jesus or tried to trap Him, they were the ones walking away looking foolish.
In Luke 15, we find three of Jesus' most famous parables; their fame is most likely due to the fact that they drive home the same point. The context is critical. This time the Pharisees didn't try to challenge Jesus publicly. Instead they marveled at the company Jesus kept.
In response to their being appalled that "all the tax collectors and sinners drew near to Him"(v. 1), Jesus shared three parables. The first two are relatively straightforward; the main characters called on friends and neighbours to join in rejoicing that what was lost had been found.
The point of each parable: Jesus came to seek and save the lost. In the third parable, the lost son decided to return home when he realized his terrible mistakes. However, the hero of the story isn't the wayward son but the waiting father.
The father had been watching and waiting for his son to return. When he did, the father threw aside all dignity and ran to his lost-but-now-found child. Similarly, God waits and watch for us to respond to the pleading of His Spirit as well as the gospel call to repentance.
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