A Japanese Christian invented a special toothpaste that became a big seller. However, the dental care product was soon illegally imitated. But authorities uncovered the fraud, and they sentenced the guilty party to prison.

The believing businessman heard that his dishonest competitor’s family was living in extreme poverty. So month after month he had an anonymous donation delivered to the prisoner’s wife. Astonished, the family wondered who this generous benefactor might be.

One day the prisoner’s wife caught a boy as he put an envelope with banknotes into her mailbox. She insisted that he tell her the name of the person who had sent him. In the end, she managed to get the name from the boy: it was the name of the rival competitor. When she heard that it was, of all people, the man they had cheated, she burst into tears. And her husband in prison was also deeply moved when she told him.

When the man was later released from prison, he immediately visited his family’s benefactor and expressed his regret, astonishment, and gratitude. The Christian took the opportunity to explain how God invites guilty people to turn back to Him. He wants to forgive their transgressions. — This offer even applied to the murderers of His Son.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)