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Key Bible Verse: Don't retaliate when people say unkind things about you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing (1 Peter 3:9). Bonus Reading:1 Peter 3:8–12

Next morning, Ted went to talk with Joan. He admitted he'd been disrespectful, arrogant, and rude, and asked for her forgiveness. Joan said nothing. Ted added that he'd forgiven her for ordering him to move the heavy boxes and was dropping his lawsuit. He hoped they could start over and learn to work together. Joan, suspicious, asked why he was doing this.

Ted replied, "I became a Christian a year ago. God's slowly helping me face up to my faults, including ones that contributed to the problems between us. He's also shown me that His love and forgiveness for me is free and undeserved. Since He's done that for me, I decided to act the same way toward you."

Taken aback, Joan mumbled, "I see. Well, let's let bygones be bygones."

Word of their meeting got around. A union representative who'd heartily supported the lawsuit asked Ted if he'd really dropped it. When Ted said yes, the man asked, "Is it true you did it because you're a Christian?" Ted again said yes. As the puzzled man walked away, Ted heard him say to a bystander, "That's the first time I've ever seen a Christian's faith cost him anything." [continued 4/18]

—Ken Sande in The Peacemaker

My Response: Have others ever observed my faith costing me something?

Thought to Apply: It is idle for us to say that we know that God has forgiven us if we ourselves are not loving and forgiving.
—Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Welsh preacher, 20th century)

Adapted from: Becoming a Peacemaker (Baker, 1991, 1997) by permission.

Copyright © 2002 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity magazine.
Click here for reprint information on Men of Integrity.

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Prayer for the Week

Dear Lord, help me deal with conflict in ways that honor You and benefit others.

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