Two brothers were convicted of stealing sheep in the old days in England. In
accordance with the brutal punishment of those times, they were branded in the
forehead with the letters ST--Sheep Thief. One brother, unable to bear the
stigma, fled to a foreign country where he tried to hide himself. He wandered
from land to land and at last died full of bitterness, and was buried in a
forgotten grave. The other brother repented of his misdeed and did not try to
run away from home. He said, "I can't get away from the fact that I once stole
sheep, but I will remain here until I win back the respect of my neighbors and
my own self-respect.
The years passed, and he gradually established a reputation for respectability
and integrity, honesty and worth. At last a stranger in town saw an old man
hobbling along with the letters ST branded on his forehead and asked a native
what they signified. After thinking for a while, the villager said, "It all
happened a long time ago, and I have forgotten the particulars. But I think the
letters are an abbreviation for Saint."
There it is--the wonderful grace of God in the penitent, believing heart can
change and transform the character and turn the very scars of sin into a badge
of honor and beauty.
By H. M. S. Richards, These Times, April 1969. With permission from Dale Galusha
dalgal@pacificpress.com
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
messages. HTML and plain text versions available.
The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.