It was lunchtime at a busy fast-food restaurant. Waiting in line to order were office men and women, construction workers and two young boys. The line moved steadily until it was the two boys’ turns to order their food. They looked like brothers, with the same brown eyes and brown wavy hair. One looked to be about ten and his younger brother about eight or nine.
“I’ll have a hamburger and a small order of French fries and a can of pop,” the younger brother said, giving his order first.
“A dollar sixty-seven please,” the lady behind the counter announced.
The boy stuck his hand deep into one of the pockets of his blue jeans, came out with a handful of change, dumped it on the counter, and began counting... "$.25..30..40..50..75.
1.00:1.25:1.35:1.40:1.50,” he counted, setting a finger on each coin and sliding it a little way on the counter. Now he had only pennies left... "$1.51:1.52:1.53:1.54:1.55:1.56:1.57,” he said, counting slower because he was nearly at the end of his pile of money, and by now he wasn’t sure he was going to have enough... "$1.58:1.59:1.60:1.61:1.62:1.63. $1.63 is all I have,” he said to the lady, not knowing what to do now.
“Sorry, but you’re four cents short,” the lady answered him.
“Wait,” the boy pleaded, and he started rummaging through all his pockets, turning them inside out, hoping to find more money to pay for his order.
When he didn’t find any more, he counted his money again, hoping he had made a mistake the first time.
"... $1.63,” he finally said as he finished counting again, giving the lady such a sad look.
But his sad look didn’t change her mind; she wasn’t going to give him his order of food without the four cents he still needed.
“Mark,” broke in his older brother, “I’ll give you the four cents you need.”
A few sighs of relief were heard from the hungry people waiting in line behind them.
Then it was the older brother’s turn to order.
“I’ll have a double cheeseburger and a can of pop.”
"1.71,” was the reply from behind the counter.
He reached into his pocket and also brought out a handful of change and dumped it on the counter. Laying a finger on each coin, just as his brother had, he slid them one at a time toward the cashier as he counted them. First he counted his quarters, then dimes and nickels, and had only his pennies left when he realized he didn’t have enough money either!
"$1.59,” he finally said as he counted his last penny. He looked up at the lady with a look that said, I can’t believe it... I don’t have enough money either... now what...?
“You’re short 12 cents,” the lady said, now a little annoyed. “I can’t give you your order.”
The people in line behind him by now were more than tired of waiting.
“Uh-oh,” he mumbled.
He was about to recount all his change when a construction worker, anxious to get his lunch, called out, “Don’t count that money again — I’ll give you the 12 cents.”
And so both boys were able to have their lunch.
You may never be short of money, but you may be short of something far more important. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23). That little word all includes you and me; it includes everyone— “Both low and high, rich and poor, together.” Psalms 49:22Both low and high, rich and poor, together. (Psalm 49:2).
What does it mean to come short of the glory of God? It means that because of our sins God cannot accept us as we are, that His anger is upon us, and that hell, instead of heaven, will be the unhappy result when we die. And this is all because of our sins!
What can we do to pay for our sins? Good works, Sunday school, trying to help our neighbors, and things like that will never pay for our sins. “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses [good works] are as filthy rags.” Isaiah 64:66But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6). No! Anything we might do by ourselves would still leave us in our sins and still short of the glory of God.
How then can we be saved from our sins? The only way is through the Lord Jesus Christ. God sent Him, His beloved Son, into the world. And on the cross of Calvary, that place of shame and disgrace, Jesus died and paid for the sins of every person who would accept Him as their Saviour. Those who accept the Lord Jesus are no longer short of the glory of God, but are washed in the precious blood of Jesus, forgiven of their sins, and on their way to heaven.
Yes, even though “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,” the Lord Jesus, through His death, paid for the sins of all who would trust Him.
Both boys realized they were short of money to pay for their lunches. But they both were willing to accept the kindness of someone else who was able to give them what they owed. So neither of them missed out on lunch.
Are you going to refuse God’s loving, kind offer of salvation and miss out on heaven? Why not accept His Son, the Lord Jesus, as your Saviour and know your sins are paid for.
ML-12/06/1987