The summer sun shone brightly on the raven-black hair of the Cree Indian. He turned his wrinkled, brown face tard the two white men approaching the reservation from the road. The men were nicely dressed and they each carried a black book. The Indian knew that these men wanted to talk to him about religion. Others like them had come bore with strange, new ideas about God. But he was old and wise, and he had his answer ready for them.
Before the visitors could begin talking, the old Indian spoke politely but firmly, “I don’t want to hear what you have to say. I believe in the ‘Indian way.’ The ‘Indian way’ was good enough for my grandfather, it was good enough for my father, and it is good enough for me. I’ll stay with the old way—the ‘Indian way.’ "
“Well,” answered one of the men when he saw that the old Indian was not willing to listen, “Tell me about the ‘Indian way.’ "
The old Indian began to tell them about how God sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ to be punished and to die on the cross for sinners. Then after being buried for three days He rose again from the dead and now He lives in heaven. Now anyone who admits that he is a sinner can be saved from the punishment for his sins by accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour. The Indian had heard about the Lord Jesus from his father, who heard it from his father, who must have heard it from a missionary who had preached Christ to the Cree Indians long ago. Because of this there were still those accepting the Lord Jesus as their Saviour many years later.
This was the “Indian way.” It had given him peace and had made him happy, so he wanted nothing more.
The men were so happy to hear this because they were Christians, and the old Indian’s way was their way, too.
If you have not settled the question about your sins with God, do not wait any longer. This Indian’s way was the same as God’s way. It is the only way for Indians or anyone else to have their sins forgiven. The Lord Jesus died for you and wants you to trust in Him. Come to Him today.
ML-04/03/1983