When I was fifteen years old and in middle school, I ran away from home with my three close friends. The four of us traveled around for two weeks without any connections with our families or schools. Looking back, I am certain that this was the most terrible thing that I had ever experienced. Since that time, all of the difficulties that I suffered have been deeply imprinted on my mind. Meanwhile, I learned a lot from my misbehavior, and regret the choice that I made. And now, let me tell you more about the day I ran away from school, and from home. 

It was a cloudy and chilly Sunday afternoon when we left home on our way back to school where we would stay until Friday when we could go back home. As we walked, we talked a lot about our families, school, classes, and our future. Living in a poor village away from major cities, none of us wanted the little amount of money our parents had to be spent on our education. In addition, we always had a lot of homework to do and there was almost no time to play. It seemed there was nothing interesting or beneficial for us to stay in school any longer, and so, as rebellious teenagers, we decided to go out and live our own lives by ourselves. Instead of entering the school grounds, we decided to just keep walking.

Without any consideration or hesitation, we finally made it to the bus stop and got on the first bus that would take us out of town. We soon realized that we didn’t have much money, so we decided to visit some of our relatives and borrow money from them. With that money, we bought new clothes, shoes, bags, and other things to make us look mature and capable. Full of confidence, we thought that a beautiful future was waiting for us, and all we had to do was to go out and claim it.

The first city we arrived in was Nanyang, which is in the southwest of Henan province. We did not stay in Nanyang for very long because it was not far enough away from our own village, and we were worried that someone we knew might see us. We knew we had to go farther so that our families and school couldn’t find us. What a bad and stupid idea that was!

After a brief discussion, we left for Luoyang City by train. That was my first time to take a train and during the trip, I met a thin foreign boy who was selling newspapers and magazines as he walked through the cars. I wondered why such a boy of similar age as I wandered in the train, and for some reason, I began to miss my parents. However, as a member of the team, I couldn’t go back. At last, we arrived in Luoyang which later proved to be our last stop.

As the weather turned colder and colder, everything went from bad to worse in Luoyang. With very little money left, we couldn’t even afford a full meal, let alone a hotel room or warm clothes. We had to find jobs, but no boss wanted to employ a teenager. To make matters worse, I got seriously sick because of cold, hunger, weariness, and loneness. I was not aware of what had happened until I woke up in a hospital. My friends told me that I passed out suddenly and was rushed to the hospital with the help of a very kindhearted gentleman. Thanks to the man, I survived. My illness surprised me and shocked others, and as a result, the only choice for us was to go back home, which is just what we did.

After we got home, I was surprised that my parents didn’t reprimand me. They just kept silent and took good care of me. But I felt ashamed and even guilty for what I had done, which not only brought them big troubles, but also broke their hearts. I was also expelled from school and had to stay at home for some time. However, I was so thankful to finally go back to school, thanks to my parent’s hard work. Since then, I realized how much my parents loved me and how tolerant they were every time I made bad decisions.

I was once a teenage runaway. The two weeks away from home was very tough, both on my parents and on me. I already paid a price for it, but I also learned from it. To some extent, I felt like I had become an adult, almost overnight. I learned that the world outside is more complicated than I once thought and realized that I must consider all of the possible things that might happen to me before acting. I learned to take responsibility for the things I had done and will do in the future. I came to realize that I am not alone, but that my parents love me and are always there for me. In short, the runaway event was a crucial part of my growth, and it has helped to make me who I am today. 

Additional Comments – You probably recognized that this real-life story of a Chinese teenager has many similarities to the story that Jesus told about the younger son of a loving Father who also left home in search of a new life. Finding themselves in desperate need, both boys returned home to find forgiveness for their actions instead of condemnation, as well as love and security at home from caring parents (for the “prodigal,” it was love from the Father). While both my former student and the “prodigal” learned some valuable lessons from their decision to leave home, what Jesus wanted to emphasize was the need for “repentance,” that is, the recognition of the “prodigal” that he had sinned and was no longer worthy to be called the Father’s son, and then returned home to openly confess his sin and unworthiness to the Father.

Note: Because I feel that one’s need for “repentance” is foundational for having any relationship with God, I devoted the first eight blogs to this topic, including a much more detailed summary of the story of the “Prodigal Son.”

I find it interesting that in both stories, each son discovered something special about “home,” especially a home where love, acceptance, and forgiveness was found. The tabernacle in the wilderness, and later the temple in Jerusalem, was considered to be the “dwelling place of God.” It was where God met man as the priests of Israel kept themselves busy “ministering to the Lord” through the requirements of the sacrificial system. And yet Moses, the one who received the Law on Mt. Sinai, recognized something profound about God — He understood that it was God Himself, not a tent or a temple, that was our true “dwelling place.” Here is what Moses said in Psalm 90:1, a psalm attributed to him:   

“Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations….”

Moses recognized that our true home is not a place, but a Person, and that Person is none other than God, in whose presence we can dwell through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. When any of us decide to leave “home” in search of a better life, we are actually choosing to leave the One who loves us immeasurably and promises us the “best” life of all as we remain close to Him. And so, if you are already “home,” stay put; but if you have wandered away, maybe it’s time for you to return, just like the prodigal.