Jim’s father was dead and he lived with his mother who worked very hard to make both ends meet. As he grew older, he could not bear to see her work so hard. He determined to help her all he could, and this he did manfully. But weeding, watering and digging in the garden was hard work, and then he had also many weary journeys to try and sell the vegetables from the garden.
It so happened that a neighbor had a donkey that grazed in the lane, and knowing the neighbor was willing to sell it, Jim told his mother that he could sell many more vegetables if he had a donkey to haul them around. He suggested trying to save some money to buy the one that grazed in the lane. His mother was willing; so together they toiled and lived as plainly and cheaply as possible, and little by little they were saving up the necessary amount. Then something happened that postponed the purchase of the donkey, which was a great disappointment to Jim, but by which he learned a lesson he never forgot.
One evening when his mother was out, Jim was at work in his garden, when some of his schoolmates came along and began coaxing him to come and play a game for money on the green. Poor Jim did not have the courage to say No, and at last he was persuaded; he went with them, quite forgetting to fasten the garden gate. The game resulted in Jim winning a few pennies, but then his tempters said he must buy drinks all around, which ended in Jim’s going home without a penny in his pocket. With a heavy weight of shame upon his heart, he feared to meet his mother and wondered what he should say if she asked him any questions.
As Jim drew near home, he saw the garden gate wide open, and looking inside he beheld the donkey making short work of his precious peas and cabbages. The damage and loss was sufficient to postpone the purchase of the donkey. Jim was crestfallen. He knew that he alone was to blame. With a heavy heart he drove out the donkey, fastened the gate and went into the house miserable and ashamed. But the lesson he had learned was a cheap one, in spite of what it had cost, for it cured him of following evil company in gambling and drinking, and therefore he never ceased to be thankful for it.
Beware of the tempter. It was the ruin of Eve when she listened to the serpent in the garden of Eden. All the misery that has ever been known in this world came through thus yielding to the tempter.
Our great safeguard is in being kept by the Lord—for those whom He keeps are well and safely kept. To have His holy fear implanted in our hearts will make us say when tempted, as Joseph did, “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” Gen. 39:99There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? (Genesis 39:9). We need the power of God to keep us from the power of Satan who lays snares for our feet, and this we prove when we take the Lord Jesus as our Saviour. Not only does He put away our sins and our guilt, but He gives us strength to resist temptation and to walk in a way pleasing to Him in this world. Read your Bible and be much in prayer, dear young Christian.
ML-04/10/1977