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New Article: Grace Changes Everything

               A young man broke into a business and did $5000 damage. As part of his Restorative Justice sentence, he was required to meet with my friend Garth.  Garth believes in making apologies and restitution.  It took several months, but Garth finally convinced the young man that these were necessary steps, so he tried to arrange a meeting with the business owner.

               The business owner wanted nothing to do with this situation.  He was angry and wanted a more severe form of justice.  Eventually, however, he agreed to meet the young man to hear what he had to say. 

               The young man looked the business owner in the eye and said, “I am sorry!  There is no excuse for my actions.  I am going to get a job and pay back every cent I owe you”.  With that, the meeting ended.

               Later that night, Garth got a phone call from the business owner.  “How is that boy going to find a job?  Who will hire him?” he asked.  Garth admitted that it might be difficult.  Then the business owner said the most amazing thing: “I will give him a job!”  This startled Garth, so he asked, “Are you sure?  I mean, he will have access to your store and your till.  Do you think this is a good idea?”   The owner said he was certain, so for the next seven months, the young man worked to pay his debt.  In fact, he was such a good worker that the business owner ended up offering him a full-time job.

               Years later, Garth ran into the business owner and asked how it had all worked out.  The owner replied, “That kid turned out to be the best worker I have ever had.  In fact, I am thinking about retiring and selling the business to him”.

               Grace is powerful because it treats others better than they deserve to be treated.  It gives people another chance and allows them to grow into what they could be.  Best of all, acting graciously makes us look like God himself. 

               “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

 

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