In the early days of our country, I a Christian man by the name of Murphy came from New England and took up land in Ohio as a homesteader. For some time he and his wife and family were isolated, but by and by others moved in around him. To them Mr. Murphy bore a faithful Christian testimony, and many stories are told about him.
Mr. Murphy had a corncrib, and one winter day he saw a hole in the crib and some of his corn was gone. Day after day he observed that his corn was disappearing. Thinking it might be a bear which was stealing his corn, he got up a big bear trap which he set by the hole, hoping to catch the robber.
When he got up the next morning, Mr. Murphy went out to the corncrib and sure enough he saw caught in the trap not a bear but one of his poor neighbors, with an empty sack lying near. At first, Mr. Murphy let on that he didn’t see the man and proceeded to chop some wood. Then, as he turned around, pretending that he had only just seen the man for the first time, he said, “Good morning, neighbor.”
The poor man said not a word. Mr. Murphy went on chopping wood, and as he did so, he remarked, “It was cold last night, wasn’t it?” Still no word from the man in the bear trap. “I say, neighbor,” he asked again, “How is Tom’s new barn coming along?”
Then the neighbor in the trap groaned and appealed to Mr. Murphy, “Would you please let me out of this bear trap?”
Then Mr. Murphy exclaimed, “Oh, you poor fellow! You must be nearly frozen. I’ll get you out of the trap. Then you come into the house and have breakfast with me.”
He freed the poor man from the trap, then took him into the house and set the man on a chair by the stove, where Mrs. Murphy had a good fire going. Farmer Murphy told his wife to give the neighbor a good breakfast, and she fed him pancakes with ham and eggs and coffee. The man downed the good breakfast as though he were hungry as a wolf. Mr. Murphy knew that the poor man was almost starved, and then he thought about his poor wife and children back home.
After breakfast he took the poor man out to the corncrib and filled his empty sack with corn. As he sent him home, he said: “Dear neighbor, take this with you. I know your wife and children need it!”
Then as the man took off down the road, he called to him, “Neighbor, next time you come, come in through the front door, and not through the fence.”
Mr. Murphy showed kindness to the man who had robbed him. And so he displayed the spirit of Christ, who has told us: “If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.” Romans 12:2020Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. (Romans 12:20).
And is not this like the Lord Jesus and the sinner? As sinners, we had dishonored and robbed God, but instead of punishing us as we deserve, God has shown kindness to us. He sent His beloved Son down into this world, who has taken up our case, and has answered to God for all that was against us. On the cross he bore all the punishment that our sins deserve. Now all those who trust in Jesus as their Saviour are set free from guilt and shame forever. And not only so, but God blesses and cares for those who once wronged Him but now believe in Jesus.
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:11-1411For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. (Titus 2:11‑14).
ML 04/21/1968