A man was brought into court for having stolen some money from his firm. As the judge interrogated him, he discovered that this man had been one of his best friends when they were classmates.
This discovery put the judge in a dilemma. Since he was a friend of the accused, he was torn between the bonds of friendship and the demands of his duty. Which were to condemn him to the imprisonment he deserved. As a just judge he could not set him free- this would be against the law and unjust towards the accusers.
After due consideration he came up with a solution that satisfied his conscience. He himself paid his debt from his own pocket and was consequently able to set his friend free. This resulted naturally in a grateful attitude for rest his life.
This is a picture of what God did when He ransomed us from our sinful life through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Have we really accepted His Gift and are we really grateful to him?