Memory Verse: “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)
George was an honest working man. His home was in a humble street in the city, yet he was a “gentleman” in the truest sense, made gentle by “the grace of God,” with a heart overflowing with love to “all men.”
Once especially when he was going through a time of real sorrow and affliction, the two of us entered the room, but it seemed as if a third were present, One “like unto the Son of God” (Dan. 3:2525He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. (Daniel 3:25)). George’s heart was aglow with his favorite theme grace and glory. Joyfully he exclaimed with the Apostle, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Cor. 4:17, 1817For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:17‑18).
Stopping suddenly in the midst of his glowing words, he exclaimed: “I’ll show you something which illustrates this passage, though I seldom show it to anyone.” So saying, he approached a little folding desk, and opened it as one might open a treasure chest, which to him indeed it was. Folding back the upper part, he reached into the secret recesses of the seldom-used portion of the desk. My inquisitiveness was aroused. What was I to behold?
Producing from the bottom of this treasure hoard a small package wrapped in brown paper, he began to open it up. One wrapping after another only increased my anxiety, as it certainly increased his earnestness. At last, after much unfolding, on the cleanest of white tissue, now fast being moistened by falling tears, lay One Golden Curl—Tommy’s Curl, all that he had left of the boy who had been a father’s pride and a mother’s joy, before the Good Shepherd had folded the lamb to His bosom.
Holding the curl in his shaking hand, tears fast flowing down both our cheeks, his soul stirred to its depths as he contrasted the “temporal” with the “eternal.” He declared, “Brother, were it not for resurrection, life would not be worth living!”
When the doctor had given up hope, when mother had received the last sad look from those dear blue eyes, when father had kissed the pallid cheek for the last time, with trembling hand he had cut the golden curl that used to adorn the fair brow of his darling boy. Now once more that silent memorial was unearthed, reminding us that by virtue of redemption through the blood of Christ (Eph. 1:77In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (Ephesians 1:7)) the believing parent and the child were safe; by virtue of “the death of the Saviour and resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Pet. 1:33Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (1 Peter 1:3).) The prospect of a reunion beyond this parting veil was assured.
Hence “Tommy’s curl,” a relic of the temporal in this land of sorrow and farewells, also spoke of the eternal where “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.” (Rev. 21:44And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (Revelation 21:4).)
ML-06/19/1977