Paying back

Paying back

Bible: Luke 19:1-9

Reading

They must make full [payment] for the wrong they have done (NUMBERS 5:7).

When he was putting the Oxford English Dictionary together, James Murray was given thousands of word definitions from Dr. William Chester Minor. They were always sent through the post and never handed in personally. James Murray was curious about this brilliant man, so he went to visit him. He was shocked to find that Dr. Minor was imprisoned in an asylum for the criminally insane! Years earlier, while unwell, Dr. Minor had shot an innocent man who he thought had been attacking him. He was sorry for killing the man and began sending money to support the widow and her family. Dr. Minor was imprisoned for the rest of his life but he found ways to use his time for good, including helping complete the dictionary. When the greedy tax collector Zacchaeus heard Jesus’ teaching, he chose to give back more than he had stolen from others. “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount” (LUKE 19:8). The love and generosity of Jesus challenged Zacchaeus to help those he had hurt. Have you upset anyone? What can you do to help make things right?

MAKING THINGS RIGHT WITH PEOPLE WE’VE HURT

SHOWS HOW WE’VE BEEN CHANGED BY JESUS.

                                      Youth Edition – Our Daily Bread Ministries