Key Bible Verse: So accept each other just as Christ has accepted you; then God will be glorified (Romans 15:7). Bonus Reading: Romans 15:2-6

As volunteers in the local Young Life club, Mike and Karla Yaconelli befriended a student whose father, an alcoholic, had emotionally and physically abused his entire family. They worked with the young man for six months.

The Yaconellis were remodeling their house and needed new kitchen tile laid. The only professional available was the young man's father. Reluctantly Mike agreed to employ him—but only after obtaining a legal bid.

The boy's father performed the work. On his last day, Mike asked him to drop by his office later for his check. He replied that he would because he needed to talk to Mike about the money. "I knew he'd try to cheat us," Mike muttered to Karla. He braced himself for a confrontation.

At the end of the day, the boy's father entered Mike's office and began to talk as he wrote out his bill. He acknowledged that he'd abused his family. He told how he'd observed Mike's involvement with his son change the boy's life. After seeing his son's change, he said, he'd gone to AA and remained sober ever since. He handed Mike the bill, saying, "I've never been able to thank you, but I'm thanking you now." It showed the agreed-upon bid price, and was marked "paid in full."

—Howard Butt Jr. in Who Can You Trust?

My Response: Given the same situation, would I even have hired the father?

Adapted from Who Can You Trust? (WaterBrook, 2004) by permission.

Prayer for the Week

Lord, I'm on the receiving end of Your grace big time! Help me to dish it out to others.

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