Reconciliation

by Francis Girard

[Editor's note: the following is an inspiring testimony of how Christ worked in the heart of Francis Girard to obey God's laws, including the law of restitution]

Peace to those who are reconciled through the blood of Jesus Christ, those who found rest in Him. The ministry of reconciliation urges us to go and tell the love we’ve found in our Saviour. In this perspective, I will tell you what I’ve done last year.

When I was young, I used to spend time with a gang. I used drugs and committed some robberies. One day, I found a music retail store downtown with a broken glass window replaced by cardboard. I got the idea of robbing the guitars at the store, so a few days later, I executed my plan. Along with my gang, I robbed about 10 guitars. I was hoping to resell them in the black market.

A few years later I found peace in Jesus at the cross. I knew to be repentant, I had to meet my victim and apologize for the robbery. I made a plan with him to make restitution, a rule which I found in the Old Testament. So I spent many months working to make restitution for my victim. To do this and honour my Saviour, I stopped studying and got a full time job.

Many think to have peace with God without repentance. The fruit of reconciliation with God is to take action and reconcile your past with the offended victims (2 Corinthians 5: 11-21; Luke 19:1-10; Exodus 22:1, 3-6, 14; Leviticus 6:2-5).