Michael Fesser has been treated very badly by people in authority, but his greatest vindication seems to be in proving that he’s not the man he once was. Fesser made local papers after receiving sizable cash settlements resulting from discrimination lawsuits with his former employer and two local police departments.

An African American, Fesser faced racial harassment back in 2017 from coworkers at a local towing company. When his bosses did nothing to curb the harassment, he filed suit, claiming the racial harassment created a hostile working environment. In retaliation, his boss enlisted the help of friends in law enforcement to generate a pretext for Fesser to be arrested on bogus charges. One officer went along with the plan because he knew Fesser from his younger days as a drug dealer with gang ties. That officer hadn’t made contact in 20 years, but he was convinced that Fesser was still involved in criminal activity.

But by this point, Fesser had become a different person. While in prison, he began to reckon with his life up to that point. Fesser said, “In isolation, I read the Bible from front to back, and started applying it to my life. … That’s what drove me. When I get out of here, I want to do something different. I want to change men. I want to change lives.”

Since his release in 2004, Fesser had been making good on his plans. He’d dedicated his life to expressing his Christian faith, and helping others successfully transition out of prison. He’s already used part of his settlement money to help purchase a transitional home in NE Portland, his old stomping grounds. Fesser said, “I wanted the transition home to be in the same neighborhood I destroyed.”

Possible Preaching Angle:

God is constantly in the redemption business, taking us from who we used to be to whom we are called to be. Even when others don't recognize that growth, God honors the steps we take to move toward His vision for our lives.