In the waiting-room of a wayside station were some eight or nine boys. They were waiting for the train which would bring the evening papers. Ragged and rough the most of them seemed, as they sat and talked and laughed one with another.
Suddenly their interest was aroused by the remark of a stranger to them, “I’ll give a quarter to the boy who gives me the best answer to a question. The question is, What is the way to heaven?”
At first a good deal of giggling took place, and they nudged one another shyly, so encouraging them the stranger said, “Now try, see who can get the quarter. My friend here shall say which is the best answer.”
A bright-faced boy was the first to respond, and he said: “Wash away your sins!”
Some more encouraging words were spoken, and then others gave expression to their thoughts of the way to everlasting happiness.
No. 2 Said: “Go to Sunday school every Sunday!”
No. 3: “Be good!”
No. 4: “Prayer!”
No. 5: “See God!”
No. 6: “Be honest!”
These were the only replies which could be obtained, and most of them showed how little the truths of the gospel were known to them.
To “go to Sunday school every Sunday” would not open heaven to anybody. We may hear of the way to heaven in our Sunday school classes, but many who have gone to Sunday school every Sunday have never reached heaven.
To “be good” or to “be honest” in the future will not put away our past sins or fit us for the glory of God. It is, of course, only right to be good at home and school, but in the sight of God “there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” None of us are naturally good, with a goodness which will make us acceptable in His sight.
“Prayer” is most important in its place, but saying prayers will not put away our guilt. There are some who say over and over again the same things. The Lord warns us of these vain repetitions. There is no merit in them—they cannot atone for sin.
To “serve God” was perhaps what was meant by the boy who said, “See God.” If so, we have to remember that we cannot rightly serve God until we are saved and at peace with Him. It is those who are saved by His grace who can serve Him, and those only.
The boy who said, “Wash away your sins,” gave the best answer, and received the quarter. We must wash our robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb, or we can never be fitted for the presence of God. I do not know whether the boy knew by what means his sins could be washed away, for the train came rushing in before much more could be said.
The speaker, however, gave the boys one word as the true answer to the question he had asked, and he spelled it on the fingers of one hand. It was “J-E-S-U-S,” who Himself has said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14:66Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6).
ML 12/17/1961