Daily Lesson for October 13, 2017

Today’s Daily Lesson comes from 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verses 9 and 10:

9For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace towards me has not been in vain.

Two nights ago I was on the phone with one of my long-time and very best friends, Robert.  We have been friends since high school and though distance has kept us apart we’ve never lost touch and we still get together once or twice a year. 

Robert came into my life after our youth leader Scott got us to start leaving an open chair in our Bible studies and praying that God would bring to us “the worst kid in the school”.  Now that’s a prayer I do not encourage unless you’re truly ready for it to be answered. Anyways, in walked Robert. 

My cousin introduced us. He was Robert’s psychologist and he sort of took a chance and broke protocol by introducing us. He just thought Robert needed a group like the one I  was in. So my cousin took a chance. 

When they both came by the house, it was real formal. My cousin explained to me and my parents what he was thinking and gave some caution. “But, I think this kid needs a chance.”  My parents and I were both there and Robert and my cousin rang the doorbell.

When I opened the door and saw Robert’s face, my first thought was, “Oh no, not this guy.  He’s a bad dude.”  If he wasn’t the worst kid in school he was very, very close. I knew he was a troublemaker. Later I found out he had a wrap sheet. My grandmother told my cousin she was going to kill him if it all went badly. I couldn’t see how it could go well. 

But, twenty years later here we are talking on the phone night before last. Robert is a mechanical engineer in the oil industry, married, and the father of three boys (God’s way of getting even, we say).  And, he’s gotten really involved in prison ministry, going into prisons and sharing the same good news he found in our youth group two decades ago, when our youth group leader told us even the very worst can be changed and my cousin said we ought to give the kid a chance. No, when my cousin took a chance on the kid. 

Robert’s going back in to another prison next week. He’s been asked to share his story. Pray for him. 

Pray that God will send him the worst offender in the prison. 

Robert will be just fine with that.