George and Betty, and their little son Dick, lived in a slum district, in a room that was scarcely fit for a human dwelling. It was dark, for the broken windows were stuffed with paper and grimy rags; it was cold, for though it was winter there was no fire in the stove. A ragged mattress in one corner served as a bed for the parents, and a smaller heap served in another corner for Dick. There was a rickety table, but no chairs. The only seat was an old saucepan which stood upside down.
Alas, there was something that George and Betty cared for more than nice furniture and comfort alas, more than for their poor little neglected, starving Dick. The tavern was their one delight. Dick roamed the streets, summer and winter, and when he came home at night, it was to hear loud and angry words, and quarreling and fighting. He was glad to escape again in the morning to beg, or run errands, and lived as best he could, hungry and uncared for.
One day Dick saw some other boys he knew go into a house with many other children.
“Come along, Dick,” they said, “It’s warm inside.”
Dick went in. The room was filled with benches on which the children sat. A man with a kind face came up to Dick and asked him if he could read.
“No,” answered Dick. He was therefore led to the ABC class, and he wondered at the children who learned sounds from the white marks on a blackboard. But Dick was a sharp boy, and he soon understood what it was all about. He determined that he would go again until he knew how to read. The teacher showed him a beautiful book, and told him it would be his very own as soon as he could read it.
Months passed, and at last the time came when he could read the long words. The teacher told him he might now read aloud to him the name of the title page of the book he had shown him. Dick read, “THE NEW TESTAMENT OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST,” and waited, wondering what was coming next.
Then the teacher gave him the book and showed him that he had put a string in a certain page and marked that page with a pencil. “When you go home,” said the teacher, “I should like you to read this book aloud sometime to any who will listen.”
Dick thanked his teacher with a joyful face and ran home with his book.
His father and mother came home that day before they went to the tavern. They had never found out that Dick went to school. When he showed them his book and told them he could read it, they thought it was a joke. But Dick assured them that it was true and said, “Now you shall hear me.” He opened the book where the teacher had put the string, and read the verses that were marked. The parents listened attentively.
But when Dick came to the words which he read slowly and distinctly, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God,” (John 3:33Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3),) George interrupted him, and said, “I told you, Dick, you couldn’t read. You’re just making believe, because you know Mother and I can’t find you out. It ain’t sense to say a man must be born again.”
“But it’s there,” said Dick; “I read it all right.” And Dick read it again.
“Now, how am I to find out the boy’s tricks?” said George. “Who is there around here that can read? Why there’s that missionary man. The next time he comes this way I’ll call him in—.”
“Dad,” said Dick, ‘I’ll call him now. He’s downstairs—I saw him only just a minute ago.” And Dick ran downstairs.
The “missionary man” had several times called upon George and Betty, but George had always shut the door in his face, and told him if he didn’t take himself off he would send him downstairs head first. However, now when Dick came back followed by the missionary, George did his best to be polite. He couldn’t offer his visitor a seat, for as you know there was only a saucepan. The missionary was so glad to find George sober and willing to see him. Dick now explained why his father had asked him to come and, finding the verse, he asked the missionary if he would kindly read it.
The missionary read the words as Dick had read them before.
“Now that beats me,” said George, “I say again, it ain’t sense. How can a man be born again? It ain’t possible.”
“No,” said the missionary, “not as you see it. You’re thinking of a man’s body. The Lord Jesus is speaking of his soul. You know a man has a soul that makes his body move and act and speak. When he dies, that is, when his soul leaves the body, well, you know it moves no more. But the soul goes on living when the body dies.
“Now God said that not only were men bad, but they were past mending. So He said He would give them a new life, His own life, divine life, in the power of the Spirit. That’s the meaning of being ‘born again.’ It’s a fresh start, you see, altogether. And God gives this new life to every man who comes to Jesus to be saved.”
Then the missionary read on about the serpent being lifted up in the wilderness, God so loving the world that He gave His only begotten Son to be lifted up on the cross, to bear the punishment of wicked men and women. “And whoever believes this,” the missionary said, “has eternal life. You see, Jesus said so, and it is as He said. If you want to have eternal life, He will give it to you now. And you’ll be a new man—born again.”
“Well, that’s news to me,” said George.
“Yes,” said the missionary. The gospel means just that—good news. The gospel is the good news of the Saviour.”
George talked a long time with the missionary, and asked him to come again. They had many talks and Dick read every day to his father out of his book.
And now, had you gone to George’s home a year later, you would have seen a wonderful sight. All was bright and clean, the broken panes were gone, the rags were gone, there were beds and chairs, and a bit of carpet was there, all clean and neat, and a fire was there, and there sat Betty clean and neat as her room.
What had happened? Had the rich neighbor paid a visit to George’s grimy room? No, but God had been there, and the blessed Saviour, who had knocked at the door, had been welcomed in, and he had given to George and Betty the eternal life which he had promised to give, as Dick had read in his new book. And so the old things had passed away, and all things had become new, because George and Betty, and Dick too were new creatures in Christ Jesus. George came home from work, not to fight and quarrel but to speak lovingly to Betty and to Dick.
George and Betty were thankful for the new life and the new home, and the new happiness. Most of all they thanked God for the Home that was to be theirs forever—the Father’s House, where they should be forever with the God who loved them, and the Saviour who died for them.
ML-07/23/1978