Our discussions relate to a child who has left home, and raise issues about returning him to his natural environment.

This can be compared to the two women who approached King Solomon with an infant. Both women claimed that the infant belonged to her. They said, “King Solomon, you decide who is the real mother of this infant.” King Solomon ordered that the baby be cut in half with a sword. Half of the baby was to be given to each mother. One mother said, “Yes, that is a fair solution. Go ahead, King Solomon, do it.” The other mother said, “No, do not cut the baby in half. Give the baby to the other mother. Let her raise the baby. Splitting the child would be worse than giving her to another parent.” King Solomon wisely said, “The baby belongs to the second mother.”

A true mother understands the problems that can be faced by splitting a child between two locations. She is willing to sacrifice her desires in order to promote the ultimate benefits of the child. A child who is raised with any other family can develop as normally as conditions allow. Splitting the child between an "adoptive" and a natural home may well cause extensive damage.

Again, every situation is different. It is difficult to generalize about where a runaway child should live. Only professional consultation will determine whether the correct step to take in any specific case.

However, Solomon's story should certainly be a consideration.