CHANGE

An old legend tells us about two brothers who were convicted of stealing sheep in a country. For their punishment, they each were branded on the forehead with the letters ST, for "Sheep thief."

One brother, bitter to the core, ran away to another land to build a new life. Even there, people continually asked him about the strange letters on his forehead. He agitated so much about the stigma, that he took his own life.

The other brother thought his predicament out. "I can't run away from the fact that I stole sheep,” he said, "But I will stay here & win back the respect of my neighbors & myself." As the years went by, he earned a reputation of honesty, respect & love.

One day a stranger saw the old man with the letters branded on his forehead. He asked a citizen of the town what the letters stood for. The townsman replied, "It happened a great while ago. I've forgotten the details, but I think the letters are an abbreviation for Saint."

We can never really make up for the past sins in life, but we can always start fresh now by living a life of integrity & kindness. (tripod.com)

Isa 43:18 (GNB): But the LORD says, "Do not cling to events of the past or dwell on what happened long ago.”

1Jn 1:9 (GW): “God is faithful and reliable. If we confess our sins, he forgives them and cleanses us from everything we've done wrong.”

2Co 5:17 (GW): “Whoever is a believer in Christ is a new creation. The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence.”