A POOR, crippled beggar in a street of a large city was trying to pick up some old clothes that had been thrown to him from a window, when a crowd of rude boys gathered round him. They mocked his awkward motions, and made fun of him, in his rags and helplessness.
Presently a noble little fellow came up, who had a really peaceful spirit, and pushing aside the crowd, he helped the poor crippled man to pick up his gifts, and bound them in a bundle. And then, placing a piece of silver in the poor man's hand, he was hastening away, when a voice from an upper window was heard saying, "Little boy with the straw hat, look up."
He did so, and a lady leaning out from an open window said earnestly, "God bless you, my little fellow, and I am sure that He will bless you, for your kindness to that poor man."
Then she asked his name, and wrote it down, with his address. This lady was the wife of a very distinguished man, and any boy would have felt proud to have her speak so favorably of him. And when that kind-hearted boy thought of the poor beggar's grateful look, then of the lady's smile and her words of kind approval, and especially when he remembered the passages in the Bible in which God says, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me," and again, "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy," we can imagine how glad and happy he was in his own heart through having shown kindness to another.
Not long after this, the lady just spoken of heard that this kind-hearted boy had applied for a situation to a merchant who was a particular friend of hers. She went at once to see him,
and spoke of the boy in such a warmhearted way, that he at once obtained the situation he desired, and that was the beginning of a successful business life to him.
Dear young friends, it is lovely to see a boy or girl seeking to show kindness to others. And how the Lord delights to reward such! But let us remember that it is only as we belong to Him and seek to please Him in what we do that we can have His approval and enjoy His blessing.
The blessed Lord Jesus, it tells us in Acts 10:38,38How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. (Acts 10:38) "went about doing good . . . for God was with Him." He could say, "The Father hath not left Me alone; for I do always those things that please Him." John 8:2929And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. (John 8:29). And what kindness He has shown to us poor sinners, for He came down from the glory to where we were in this sad world with all our sin, misery and death. He went to Calvary's cross as the Lamb of God to die for sin; but He rose again from the dead, and now He has left this world and gone back to the Father. Now the "new and living way" to heaven is open for all who will believe in Him by faith. Dear young reader, have you trusted Him yet? Are you on that heavenly road that leads to His Father's house of "many mansions"?
Messages of the Love of God 4/20/1958