Dear Children,
Let me tell you what happened when Gramma and I went shopping in a big department store in the mall.
We were walking along together in the store and passing the counter where the toys were. I noticed a boy about seven or eight years old trying out the yo-yos. I told Gramma to go ahead as I was quite interested in what he was going to do with them.
I walked around the corner of the counter where he couldn’t see me, just to kind of spy on him! You know, he tried out every color yo-yo there was. He finally decided on the bright red one. It was a beauty! He put his hand into his pocket, brought out his money, then shook his head as if to say, “Not enough.” He counted it again, then put the money back into his pocket. Then guess what? Quick as a flash, he grabbed that bright red yo-yo, and into his pocket it went!
I know what you’re thinking: “Uh-oh, Grampa, that’s stealing!”
Yes, children, that is stealing. God has said in His Word, the holy Bible, “Thou shalt not steal” (Romans 13:99For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. (Romans 13:9)). Do you think this young boy knew that what he did was a sin? Yes I do, and I know you believe it too. If he didn’t know it was a sin, he would not have picked the yo-yo up so quickly and hidden it in his pocket!
So I walked around the corner very quickly and said in a real gruff voice, “What did you put in your pocket?”
Boy oh boy, did he ever jump! And at the same time he put his hand into his pocket, pulled out the yo-yo and threw it back onto the counter! And he said with a very shaky voice, “Nothing, mister, nothing. . . . Are you a policeman?”
Now then, that was another sin, because he told a lie! Two sins in less than a minute!
I did not tell him if I was a policeman or not. But in a gruff voice I asked him, “Why were you going to steal that yo-yo?”
Now this time he told the truth. He answered, “I don’t have enough money to pay for it.”
So what should he do now? He wants the yo-yo, but he doesn’t have enough money to pay for it? Children, no one in this world has enough money to buy a place in heaven either. Your sins and mine must be forgiven, and they can be forgiven, because God’s Word says, “The blood of Jesus Christ His [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)). It also tells us in Ephesians 2:89 that being cleansed from our sins is a gift of God. He paid the price, so it’s free!
“But, Grampa, what happened to the little boy?”
Okay, I’ll tell you. He and I counted his money again - not enough. Then I reached into my pocket and pulled out some coins, put some into his hand, plus a little extra because I told him there is tax that has to be paid too. He picked up the bright red yo-yo, looked me right in the eyes and said, “Mister, thanks a whole lot!” I watched as he almost ran to the checkout counter with his prize.
I wondered if he would tell his classmates at school how he got the yo-yo. I thought about the man in the Bible who the Lord Jesus spoke to and said, “Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee” (Mark 5:1919Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. (Mark 5:19)). Children, every boy and girl who is saved should be doing just that!
Maybe you can sing the song that has these words:
Telling others, telling others,
My work now is telling others,
Since the Lord saved me,
I’m as happy as can be,
My work now is telling others.
Lots of love from Gramma & Grampa
ML-03/14/2004