IN THE SLUM district of a big city years ago there lived in a little attic room a small boy about nine years old. He never left that room for he had been a cripple right from his baby days.
One day a kind Christian lady found him and from then on she visited him regularly. She read the Word of God to him and explained to him the great love of Jesus. She taught him to read and write, gave him a Bible, and so the little fellow came to trust the Lord Jesus who had died on Calvary’s cross to save sinners.
One day in summer he laid his Bible down on the bed, put his hands together, closed his eyes and said, “Please, Lord Jesus, I want to serve Thee so much. Wilt Thou show me how?”
Do you think the Lord heard that prayer? It was only a few days later he thought of a way. The lady had provided him with a pencil and a pad of writing paper. He took his Bible, opened it to John 3: 16, and then wrote out the text.
It took him a long time, but when it was finished he carefully tore off the sheet, folded it up, and — what do you think? Well, he just dropped it out of the window, and as it floated away on the breeze he said, “Please, Lord Jesus, bless it to someone.”
Every day, when he was well enough to sit up, this little fellow wrote out texts from various parts of the Bible and dropped them out the window, each time asking God to direct them to some needy soul.
One day a wealthy man who owned a lot of property in that neighborhood, was walking along the street when a piece of paper suddenly floated down and dropped at his feet. Out of idle curiosity he picked it up, opened it and read the sprawly handwriting: “COME UNTO ME, ALL YE THAT LABOR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST.” MATT. 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28).
Now this man had been taught all about the Saviour when he was a little boy and sat on his mother’s knee. But he had grown up and forsaken all thought of Him, and had gone after earthly riches. He had become very wealthy, but the more he thought of his money the less he thought about Jesus, and that is very often the way. Nevertheless, with all his wealth he was so unhappy and miserable that he had decided to go down to the docks and put an end to his life.
Now, as he read those wonderful words on the paper, he stopped still, and something happened for the first time for many years — tears began to fill his eyes. Hardly knowing what he was doing, he went straight home, shut himself up in his den, and after hours of anguish of soul, on his knees he acknowledged his sin, believed with his heart and was happily converted to Christ the Saviour. There was joy in the presence of the angels of God in heaven that day over one more sinner saved.
How many more of those texts were the means of blessing to others, we do not know. But there is One above who does, for He has said, “My word... shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please.” Isa. 55:1111So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11).
The gentleman searched and found out who it was that was dropping those messages into the street and visited the little cripple boy. What a cheer it was to the lad to learn that his texts had been a blessing to someone! The kind man saw to it that the boy was well cared for from then on. Some time later the Lord took His little servant to be with Himself forever.
Most likely, dear young reader, you are a strong, healthy boy or girl. You can run, read and write, and do a host of other things. Do you have a desire to do something for that blessed Saviour who has done so much for you, by dying on the cross? Then think of the little cripple boy. But before the Lord can use you, you must first “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)), and be saved. Then wait for Him to show you what He wants you to do, for He has said, “without Me ye can do nothing.” John 15:55I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (John 15:5).
ML-07/21/1963