A BOY of sixteen left his country home to fill a situation in the city he boarded in the same house, and slept in the same bedroom as another boy who was employed in the same office.
Both boys were saved, but neither of them seemed to have enough courage to tell his companion, for when bedtime came the first evening, they were both ashamed to kneel down and pray before going to bed.
They sat talking until it was late, each trying to muster courage to confess Christ to his companion, whom he supposed to be unconverted. At last, blushing all over, one of the boys said,
“Well, Jim, we must get to bed,” and with that he dropped on his knees, and buried his head in the bed clothes.
Jim, amazed, yet thankful at heart that the ice was broken, knelt beside him. When they rose from their knees, they grasped each other’s’ hand, saying, simultaneously,
“Are you saved?” to which, both could answer “Yes.”
How thankful they were to find in each other a brother in Christ, yet how ashamed to think that they were so full of cowardice that they feared to own Him as their Lord.
The boys from that night onward, knelt down side by side, and prayed for and with each other, and God gave them many happy hours together in that little room, over His Word, and at the throne of grace, Strengthened and helped, they took their stand a few weeks later together at the street corner, boldly testifying for Christ and preaching His gospel. On the way home Jim said,
“How thankful I am you did kneel down that first night, Willie, for if Satan had got the victory, who knows how far we might have got away from God.”
They have both been fearless witnesses for Jesus, and by their faithful testimony many souls have been won for Christ.
Dear young Christian friends, never be ashamed to own the Lord. No matter where, let it be known at once, and beyond all doubt, that you belong to Christ. At home, in the workshop, on the street, let your testimony be with lip and life. It will save you heaps of trouble if you nail your colors to the mast-head at once, and let it be known that you are the Lord’s alway, ever able to sing,
“I’m not ashamed to own my Lord,
Nor to defend His cause;
Maintain the glory of His cross,
And honor all His laws.
“If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.” Romans 10:8-118But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. (Romans 10:8‑11).
ML 12/26/1937