A Sunday school teacher took out his watch and asked what it was for.
“To tell the time with,” called out several of the children.
“But suppose it won’t keep time, and cannot be made to keep time, what is it good for?”
“It’s good for nothing!” they replied.
He then took out a pencil and asked what it was good for.
“To write with,” replied the children.
“But suppose the lead were out of it, and it would not write, what is it good for then?”
“It’s good for nothing!” they replied.
Next he produced his penknife and held it up.
“What is this used for?” he asked. “To cut with,” replied the children, thoroughly interested.
“But suppose it had no blade and only a handle, what would it be good for then?”
“It would be good for nothing,” replied the children again.
“So you see, children, a watch, and a pencil, and a knife are good for nothing unless they can each do the thing for which they were made. But now what is a boy or girl made for?”
The children were silent.
“There is a beautiful answer to that question which boys and girls in Scotland learn,” he said. “It runs: ‘The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.’ That is what boys and girls are made for.”
The children were listening very attentively.
“But if a boy or girl does not do the very thing for which she or he was made, what is that child good for.”
“Good for nothing!”
It came from their lips quite spontaneously.
“Good for nothing,” repeated the teacher solemnly. “I hope none of you will be like that. Good for nothing. How sad and how terrible! But if you will yield your young hearts to Christ your Saviour, He will make you good for something.”
The children separated at the close without the unusual noise. The subject had impressed them all. Some of them remember it to this day, and their daily prayer is that they may fulfill God’s purpose in their lives.
ML-08/25/1974