This is the story of an ambassador. Now the ambassadors we read about in our history books are men living in foreign countries. These men have an important job to do for their King or President, and must be trustworthy in all they do. Our story is about a boy, just eleven years of age, who you will soon agree deserves the title of ambassador—for Jesus Christ.
Robert, the son of a warmhearted Christian merchant, often accompanied his Father on Sunday afternoons giving out gospel tracts to passers-by on the streets of their village. One rainy Sunday afternoon Robert was surprised to learn that his father did not plan to go out with the usual bundle of tracts, so he asked, “Doesn’t God save people when it’s raining?”
His father was startled at this question and replied, “When it is raining hard, my son, there are not many people on the streets,”
Robert insisted, “But there might be one person who doesn’t know the way of salvation.”
“Very true,” replied the father. “You may go by yourself if you wear your rubbers and raincoat, but I am going to stay in out of the rain.”
With this, Robert bounded out of the room, eager to start his mission. The rain which seemed so foreboding to the older man was scarcely noticed by the lad as he departed. In the downpour the streets were nearly deserted, as the father had said, and only occasionally was he able to dispose of a tract. Darkness came on and still the rain continued. Finally, only the last tract remained in his hand, but there wasn’t a person in sight to whom he might give it. What was he to do with this last tract?
“I know,” he thought. “People don’t come to me; I’ll go to them.” With quick steps he approached the nearest house and knocked.
“Who’s there?” came a voice from within. His heart was thumping—half with fright, half with joy. He waited a moment, but as no one opened the door he gathered up his courage and knocked again.
“Who’s knocking?”
He kept it up until the door opened, and there stood an old woman whose distressed features were a sharp contrast to the eager face of the boy on the doorstep. He smiled brightly and said, “Lady, pardon me, but I’ve come especially to bring you the gospel.” He placed the last tract in her hand.
The next Sunday evening the small meeting hall was crowded as usual. The merchant was present, and of course his young son had come along. After the meeting, a few people collected around an old woman whose face seemed to shine with the light of heaven itself.
“Thank God!” she exclaimed. “He sent His little ambassador to help me. Otherwise, last Sunday night in my loneliness, poverty and despair, I would have ended my life. It was pouring rain. I had reached the limit of human suffering — having lost both husband and son—and started to hang myself. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. I waited, hoping that the person would go away, but the knocking continued until I had to open the door. There stood a boy with the face of spring, who gave me a gospel tract. As I read that tract and realized that God had not forsaken me, I could not keep back the tears. The message came to me so plainly.”
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24).
“Here I was, about to perish in a lost eternity, when God who is rich in mercy offered me everlasting life through the work of His blessed Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. I confessed my sins right then and there, and asked His forgiveness. And now I am happy to say I am truly saved.”
The boy softly whispered in his father’s ear, “She’s the one!” Only then did the father know that God had sent his child to find a lost sheep by means of a gospel tract. Robert had been an ambassador from the kingdom of heaven, fulfilling the mission of Him who is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Pet. 3:99The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9).
“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us:
ML 01/01/1961