JOHN was a poor Indian boy from the Punjab. His childless Uncle and Aunt lived in Singapore and they offered to adopt John as their own son. There were other boys and girls in the family and so his parents agreed. John left his home in the beautiful country and went to live in a hot, busy city. There friends were few and he grew very homesick.
His uncle worked as a watchman for a large building where there were shops and apartments. John usually sat at the front gate gazing into space, the picture of abject misery. His one diversion was to go to the Sikh temple every week and follow the rites of the Sikh religion. Though only fourteen years of age, he was a very religious boy, and would rise early every morning to read the Sacred Sikh books.
At this time, one of God’s servants, living in an apartment in the building, took note of John, and felt very sorry for the lonely lad. They could not speak each other’s language, but kindness and love is understood in every part of the world, and John soon had a friend. It was not long before he knew enough English to converse a little. Then a Christian lady came along with a little record player with some records in John’s language. These she played and for the first time in his life John heard the story of Jesus and His love for sinners.
Time went on, and the missionary and his daughter had to leave Singapore, but another lady came to take their place. At the little bookroom they operated, they sold and distributed Bibles and Christian literature in the various languages spoken in that city.
By this time, John had become an employee at the shop, and was a useful lad to have around, but he still clung to his Sikh religion. He did his very best to live an upright moral life, and thereby gain merit for the life beyond the grave. Indeed, his conduct would put many a professing Christian to shame.
One evening John came on his bicycle, dressed in dazzling white. His Christian friend was so surprised!
“Why, John,” she exclaimed, “where have you been? You are all so beautifully clean and white from your turban to your white shoes.”
“I have been to the temple,” John replied. “When I go there, I don’t eat any food. I have a bath, and put on everything clean and white. We must be clean to go to the temple, you know.”
“Ah John,” answered his friend, “you are all so beautifully clean and white outside, what about your heart inside?”
John’s head dropped, his lips began to quiver, and with a broken voice he replied, “My heart is very black, I can’t make it clean.”
Then his friend told him again, as she had done before, of the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, which cleanses the sin of everyone who in simple faith will believe this. John took it all in but made no decision. He must weigh the cost first. For a Sikh to become a Christian is no light matter. So they said good-night.
Thank God, not many days later, John came to his friends who had been praying that the good seed sown in his heart would take root, spring up and bear fruit. He told them his heart was now whiter than snow. He had accepted the Lord Jesus as his Saviour and had found peace with God. The days following were not easy for John, but the Lord has been faithful, and today he is learning more of His love and is serving Him in his native land.
ML-03/31/1974