It was an exciting day for Lexie! She was turning 9 years old, and her family was planning a big birthday party for her, even though she could not run and play like other children, because she had cerebral palsy and had to be strapped into a wheelchair. But she was a happy girl anyway. What she did not know then was that things were going to get even more exciting. And she was going to play a big part in it all!
Her father had gone to pick up her older brother, and her mother was upstairs getting dressed to receive guests. Her baby brother, Leeland, who was one year old, had just wakened from his nap. As she sat in her wheel-chair waiting for the celebration to begin, she saw her brother toddle into the room. Then he opened the sliding glass door, which he had never done before. He closed it and went onto the back deck and suddenly disappeared into the swimming pool! It all happened in a flash of time—what could she do?
Not only could she not run to help him, but she was also unable to speak. She did the only thing that she could do to save her baby brother. She screamed as loud and as long as she could! Her mother instantly knew that something was terribly wrong, and she came flying down the stairs. Her grandmother, who was in the kitchen helping to prepare the meal, came racing into the room. Lexie didn’t say anything—she just pointed to the sliding glass door. Grandmother ran outside to the edge of the pool and looked down. There was Leeland! She quickly grabbed him, lifting him out of the pool. Lexie’s warning had been in time! When Leeland was taken to a local hospital to be checked, doctors confirmed that he was fine.
Lexie’s mother was so grateful that Leeland’s life was saved. She could not help but cry and give Lexie a big hug, thanking her for saving Leeland’s life. She realized that a few seconds made the difference between tragedy and life. Lexie’s love for her little brother and quick thinking was honored by the Halifax Regional Police and other local officials.
Within two days after Leeland’s fall into the pool, the family had a fence with a locked gate placed between the house and the pool. They wanted to make sure that there was no more danger of Leeland, or anyone else, falling into the pool!
This very sweet and touching story reminds us of God’s love toward us. He knows that we are helpless sinners in need of a Savior. Leeland could not save himself, and neither can we save ourselves.
This is why God sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. Jesus paid the penalty for our sins on the cross. Because of this, God will forgive us for our sins if we trust Him to. “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15)). Because God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:99The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)), He has provided free salvation to every boy and girl and grown-up who will put their trust in Him. To refuse God’s way of salvation is eternal tragedy—to accept God’s way of salvation is eternal life! We hope that you have put your trust in Jesus for your soul’s salvation. If not, He is giving you another chance to come to Him today!