Monday Motivation for Success from Siva (60): Repentance is rewarding and more rejoicing. How?

Hi,
Everyone commits mistakes. Who doesn't? After all, to err is human. While some people recognise their mistakes, repent, and feel sorry for their errors, some people do not. There is a greater joy for the people who are repentant than those who feel themselves in no need of any repentance. Let us look at this story of a farmer and his two sons from the Holy Bible to learn and appreciate the value of repentance.. 
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Repentance is rewarding and more rejoicing. How?
(Source of info: The Holy Bible, Luke 15, 11-31)

There was a farmer who had two sons. As they grew up, the younger one said to his father, "Give me my share of property. I want to live separately." The father agreed and gave him his share of property. After a few days, the younger one took his share, severed his ties with his family, and travelled to a distant country. There, he squandered all of his money in reckless living. When he had run out of money, he started working in other's fields. But he was not getting enough to fill his stomach. He remembered his father and said to himself, "How many of my father's workers have more than what they can eat, and here I am starving. I will go back to my father and request him to take me as one of his workers."

Accordingly, he set out to go back to his father. When the son was coming home, his father saw him from a distance, felt deeply moved, ran up to him, embraced him, and kissed him.  But the son said to him, "Father, I have sinned. I do not deserve to be called your son.' But the father did not hear anything. He was so happy that his son came back, he called his workers, gave them a big feast, and asked them to make merry and be happy.

Now, the older son did not like all this and questioned his father, "See, I have worked for you all these years, but you never gave me enough money that I could make merry with my friends. But when this son of yours who wasted all the money and came home, why are you spending so much and making so much merry?" His father replied to him, "Son, you are always with me, and all I have is yours. We earlier lost your brother. Now he came back."

The father knew, "There will be joy in heaven over one repentant sinner more than over 99 righteous persons who stand in no need of repentance."

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Why was there a greater joy for seeing a man who repented for his mistakes? Was it due to the reason that he realised his mistakes and the chances of making the same mistake again were much lesser? Or was it that he did not continue to believe in his mistakes and showed a sign of realisation? Whatever it may be, repentance is rewarding to the one who repented and also rejoicing for all those around him. Let us also appreciate the manner in which the father reacted to his son's home-coming. He did not berate him with a scornful speech or belittle him with a reprimand. He expressed ONLY his utmost love for him.

To your continued SUCCESS,

With love,

Siva

PS: For the Bible stories published during December 2014, here are the links:
1) The Parable of the Good Samaritan:

http://value4value.blogspot.in/2014/12/monday-motivation-from-scriptures-mmfs_9.html

2) The Golden Rule:

http://value4value.blogspot.in/2014/12/monday-motivation-from-scriptures-mmfs_15.html

3) Forgiveness – The Best Gift You Could Give to Yourself:

http://value4value.blogspot.in/2014/12/monday-motivation-from-scriptures-mmfs_22.html