For many teenagers who run away, returning home isn't always all they had hoped for. More than a few 15-year-olds have been confronted by a father who has snarled, "I don't know if I can ever forgive you. It's bad enough that you've given your mother migraines ever since you outgrew the backyard. But now you've done it. Coming home doesn't change the fact that you're just a dirty little delinquent."

Our attitude toward the delinquent in the family of God should be quite different. In 2 Corinthians 2, Paul told how to receive a repentant Christian back into the fellowship of the church (vv.6-8).

From what he said, we can draw this conclusion: When a Christian returns after falling into sin and being separated from the fellowship of God's people, we must avoid a well-you've-really-done-it-this-time attitude. Instead, we should convey love, acceptance, and a desire to see him fully restored (Galatians 6:1). That's not to say we're to take his disobedience lightly. We should long for his spiritual health just as parents want to see their child avoid the consequences of delinquent behavior. But when a person sincerely repents and comes back to the Lord, the best way to help him is to give him a warm "Welcome home!"  — Mart De Haan