Today's pardon asks for a life tomorrow

"Let me tell you a story, brethren.

There was once a man condemned to die because he was a murderer. But he had a brother, and his brother had been a hero, and had saved many lives. And this brother pleaded for the murderer before the high court, and for the sake of the brother who had saved lives, they consented to pardon the brother who had taken life.

And so the brother who had pleaded, went to the condemned man with the pardon, to his cell; but before he disclosed it to him he said to the prisoner his brother, 'supposing you were pardoned and set free - what would you do?'

And the prisoner said with hatred in his eyes and in his voice, 'If I could find that judge and the chief witness, I will kill them.'

And the brother said nothing about the reprieve, but left the cell, with its prisoner, and kept the pardon in his pocket and destroyed it.

And every one of you in your heart knows he did right. A real pardon is for the man who is willing, given the power, to quit sinning, and to seek goodness. And today's pardon therefore asks for a life tomorrow, seeking the high and holy enterprise of doing the will of God, who gives us pardon, today."

- D.Gillett