Far away in India, some few years ago, a group of dark-skinned black-eyed boys were standing at a street corner. You would have thought them very funny, with their loose cotton clothes; but there was nothing strange in their appearance to the crowds of people passing that busy afternoon. Yet as God looked down from heaven, what a difference He saw! Most, if not all, of those people worshiped idols—ugly idols, blocks of wood and stone. They try to wash away their sins by bathing in the river Ganges, knowing nothing of the precious blood of Jesus which alone can cleanse from all sin. Few among them had ever heard of His love or read His message in the Bible; hut these few boys had heard it. They had been taught in a school kept by those who loved the Lord Jesus, and beer still, they had believed His Word; and coming to Him just as they were—poor, ignorant heathen boys—they had been washed and forgiven, they were Christians. So it was no wonder, when the teacher who was going to preach on the street corner that afternoon, asked if they would go and help him to sing the hymns, instead of having a game in the playground, they willingly agreed; for, those who have believed in the Lord Jesus, love to serve and please Him.
They were there in good time, but the teacher was not. Something had haened which hindered him in getting there, and he could not let them know, so the boys waited and waited.
“Let us sing a hymn: he may come by the time we have Finished,” said one.
So the boys sang one hymn, and then another, but no teacher came. Meanwhile the people stopped to listen, and quite a crowd gathered round.
“Let us go home now,” said one of the boys, as they finished another hymn.
“O, cannot one of us preach?” as he looked at the people standing around who had never heard of Jesus. Who would? Who could?
“You can.” And they pushed forward one among them who they thought could tell a little of what he knew. O, how the people laughed! That boy preach? They called him names and jeered at him; but the little boy sent up a prayer to the Lord Jesus for help, and then asked permission to speak, so politely and modestly, that everybody listened.
“Gentlemen,” he said, “we read today in school that once, when the Lord Jesus was in this world, His clothes became so dazzling and His face so bright, that even those who loved Him could not bear it, but fell on the ground as if they were dead. Gentlemen, I pray you, think, if that happened to those who loved Him, what will happen to those who do not love Him at all, when He comes back in His glory to judge the world? Good afternoon.” And bowing politely, the boy went back into the group, and they all were soon on their way home.
Dear children, will you ask yourself that boy’s question? What will happen to you when the Lord Jesus returns?
ML 01/17/1943