WHEN GRACE MOVES IN

It was just a regular day — the kind you’d never expect to remember. The sun🌞 was blazing, the boxes in the car felt heavier than they looked, and I was halfway through unpacking when I noticed someone new across the courtyard.

My new neighbour was playing soccer ⚽ with some friends. He hadn’t seen me yet, and that was perfectly fine with me.

After a few hours, I was finally done unpacking and was heading back inside when I whispered, “Thank you Jesus”🙏.

Then I heard a voice yell, “Hey, who are you talking to?”

I turned around to see that it was the new neighbour. He was waving at me from his courtyard. Then he suddenly jumped over the fence and came over to my courtyard.

I had a closer look at him. He had a darker complexion than mine, was much taller, and seemed a bit older. He almost looked like a man because of all that facial hair.

“I’m Matt, and you are?”

“Abby,” I answered in a low voice.

He told me that he saw me muttering to myself and came to check if I was alright. I told him I was fine. His easy smile 😊 and warm handshake made my shoulders relax. He shot me a dashing smile😁 that I knew I would never forget. I couldn’t help but smile back.

He said he was 18 and was done with high school and would go to college soon. I told him that I had just moved into town for a fresh start.

All too soon, his friends 🙄 called him to get back for the second half of the game. We shook hands and he said he would see me around, then winked 😉 at me. That wink gave me a strange feeling. I didn’t know what it was, but I knew I would figure it out soon.

Ever since that day, Matt and I had become really great friends. We texted a lot and became very close.

Then, one 👌 fine Monday morning, I had gone out for a walk, and to my surprise, I saw Matt running🏃. I couldn’t help but notice how the sweat moved down from his hair to his face🔥.

Arghhh, what was wrong with me? My stomach did a little turn 😖.

I told myself it was nothing—just another distraction I’d have to fight through. As the collected girl that I am, I kept my cool. He waved at me, and I waved back.

“Hey, how are you doing?” I asked.

“I saw you from afar and decided to check up on you,” he said.

“Oh, thanks for your concern. I am blessed, actually. How about you?”

“I’m good,” he replied.

“We thank God! 🙏” I smiled.

“Umm… Abby?” he said, stepping a little closer. My heart skipped a beat.

“Yeah?”

“Umm, I need to ask you something.”

I froze. Is this it? No… this can’t be it. We had only known each other for two weeks. My heart pounded. I was so nervous, but I tried to keep being the Christian young woman I knew I should be. “By the way, those are some nice shoes 👟,” I said, trying to change the subject.

He sighed. “The thing is… the money I used to buy these Air Jordans wasn’t mine. I… stole it 😔.”

It felt like a wrecking ball had just hit me 💔. My whole perspective of Matt—my newly found brother in Christ—shifted in an instant. Silence fell between us. He bowed his head in shame.

Finally, I broke the silence. “Why?”

He sighed again. “I couldn’t help it. I needed those Jordans to look cool and impress my new friends… and the ladies 😎.”

“Matt,” I said gently, “you’re perfectly fine without them. In fact, the Bible even says that we are perfectly and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).”

He continued, “I tried to resist the temptation to steal… I really did. But it was so hard. I think God is tempting me.”

My eyes widened 😲. “Whoah, Matt. God never tempts anyone. James 1:13 says, ‘God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone.’ And James 1:17 reminds us that ‘Every good and perfect gift is from above.’ Never say that again, okay? All good things come from God.”

He looked up, eyes full of regret. “Yeah… I guess. I’m sorry.”

“Listen, Matt,” I said softly, “you just have to persevere and pray about it. God can help you overcome any temptation.”

I stepped a little closer to Matt, placed my hands gently on his shoulders, and looked him straight in the eyes.

“I know you can do it, Matt. I believe in you.”

Before I could blink, he pulled me into a hug 🤗. A wave of warmth washed over me.

“Thank you so much, Abby. I just wish I could be as perfect as you are.”

I froze 😳. Perfect? Me? Did he just say that out loud?

“Matt… I’m not perfect. I’ve messed up too. I once stole lip gloss, a few coins for a friend, and—” I lowered my voice—“pens.”

The thought of stealing pens almost made me giggle 😁.

Matt chuckled 😂. “Pens? Seriously?”

“Hey, don’t judge,” I said, pretending to be offended. “The point is, I just try my best to be who God wants me to be so I can go to heaven 😇. And I know you can too. Just try for me, alright?”

“Okay, I will. And… thanks again,” he said.

“Don’t mention it.”

He walked me home 🏡, and we said goodbye. But that night, I couldn’t sleep. My mind kept replaying our conversation. The memory made me smile. I read my Bible 📖, prayed, and finally closed my eyes.

Still… one question wouldn’t leave my mind.

If Matt could hide something like that for two weeks… what else could he be hiding?

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