Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

The devotional for today written by James Banks is titled Witness Marks.

See that?

The clock repair man pointed his flashlight beam on a small, fine mark, roughly engraved

inside the old grandfather clock he was working on in our home. Another repairman could

have put that there almost a century ago, he said. It's called a witness mark, and it helps me

know how to set the mechanism.

Before the age of technical bulletins and repair manuals,

witness marks were used to help the person making a future repair align moving parts with precision.

They were more than just time-saving reminders.

They were often left as a simple kindness to the next person doing the work.

The Bible encourages us to leave our own witness marks as we work for God by serving others in our broken world.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome,

Each of us should please our neighbors for their good to build them up.

This is the example of our God who gives endurance and encouragement.

It's about being a good citizen of both earth and heaven.

Our witness marks may seem like small things, but they can make a vital difference

in someone's life. An uplifting word, a financial gift to someone in need, and a listening ear.

All are kindnesses that can leave a lasting impact. May God help you make a mark for him in someone's life today.

Now let's listen to the Apostle Paul's words. This is today's Our Daily Bread devotional

scripture reading. It's taken from the 15th chapter of Romans, verses 1 through 6.

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.

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