Ivan was the name of a boy to whom his father and mother often told of the love of God, and how the Lord Jesus came to bear the punishment of sin. Ivan loved to hear God’s Word read, and was a happy boy.
But when he heard that there were many boys and girls in the world who never heard of the Saviour, many who bowed to images of wood and stone, he felt very bad for those sad children. He began to wonder if he could help send them the story of Jesus.
Ivan’s parents were poor, and there was but little money even for needed things. But Ivan had four little coins which had been given him; they were only as much as a few pennies in our money, but Ivan thought of how they could be used.
He knew that the men who made Bibles and Testaments used small lead pieces, called type, to print the words, and he thought that his four coins would be enough to pay for the small type that would print the dot above the letter, i, in the name, Christ Jesus.
Ivan told his father his plan and his few coins were sent to a man in a far land who told out the Gospel Story, and were used for the Name the little boy loved so much. Ivan could have used his coins for candy or a plaything, but think how much better he spent them!
There still are very many children who, have not been told of the Lord Jesus, whom we might help to hear God’s Word, if we are as willing as Ivan to do so.
ML 08/21/1938