FREDDY, who lived in the city, went for his three months’ vacation on his aunt and uncle’s farm. They had a fine country home, white-painted barns, and all surrounded by grain fields. A charming little stream flowed through the farm, and it was Freddy’s delight to stand on the wooden bridge and watch the speckled trout swimming in the sunshine.
But what I want especially to tell you about Freddy is that he was a Christian boy, and he was not like some boys and girls I have known, ashamed to confess Christ as his Saviour. His aunt and uncle were very kind to him, and so were his cousins. But theirs was not a Christian home; there was no daily reading of God’s Word or prayer, and Freddy was much surprised at this. At breakfast there was no thanksgiving before the meal, but Freddy bowed his head and gave thanks. There was no evening prayer, but the dear boy knelt down by his bed before going to sleep. This began to have a wonderful effect in that worldly home. I am sure it was used of God to show that worldly family that there was reality in Christianity to which they were strangers.
One day something happened that gave Freddy’s testimony for his Saviour favor in the eyes of the whole household. He was playing in the meadow with his little cousins, his aunt being only a little way off, when little five-year-old Cindy fell into the water. Freddy heard her cry and ran down to the bank of the stream. There he saw Cindy being carried down by the current. Quickly the brave boy ran to the wooden bridge, lay down flat on the planks underneath, and reaching down, he caught Cindy’s apron as she floated past. He was unable to pull her up, but his loud cry brought her mother to the scene, and in a few minutes Cindy was drawn out of the water. Freddy was kissed all around that night. When he was saying goodnight to his aunt he whispered, “Jesus helped me to save Cindy. I cried to Him to do it.”
That word was never forgotten. No doubt it was true, and it proved the reality of his simple trust in Christ. Years passed, and Freddy is no longer a little boy. In one of our big cities here in the United States he is the head of a large business, and his delight is still to speak well of Jesus who saved him in his very early days. His aunt too, and all the family are all saved and on their way to heaven, and she gladly confesses that Freddy’s clear testimony to the Lord Jesus first turned her thoughts to the Saviour.
How grand it is to be saved in our early days, and to be the means of pointing others to Christ. Dear young friends, what a privilege to be just a signpost, pointing to Him.
ML-07/19/1964