I have met boys with names like Charlie and Tommy and Raymond, but I never met a boy named Kund! Still I read a story about Kund, and I think you would like to hear it.
Mr. and Mrs. Iverson lived near the big city of Chicago, and they had one dear boy whom they called Kund. Kund’s father and mother loved the Lord Jesus and they often told their boy about Jesus and His love. When he was just seven years old, Kund accepted the Lord Jesus as his own Saviour, and his sins were all washed away in the precious blood that “cleanseth us from all sin.”
One afternoon in August, his father sent him off to the pasture to bring home the cow. The happy boy walked along singing and enjoying the bright sunshine. Suddenly he came upon a group of boys standing by the fence and looking at the neighbor’s orchard. When they saw little Kund, they called him over to them, but he would not go. Two of the bigger boys came over to him, and caught him by the arms.
“We want some of those apples, and you must go over the fence and get them for us. You are small and you won’t be seen.”
Kund promptly replied, “No, I cannot steal.”
“But you have to. If you say ‘no,’ we’ll duck you in the stream.” The boys meant it, too, for they had often stopped smaller boys before, and made them do wicked things for them by frightening and threatening them.
“No, I am a Christian and I will not steal.”
Quickly they grabbed him and ducked him in the stream. When he tried to climb out, they stopped him and asked him again to steal those apples. “No, I won’t do it.”
This only made them more angry, so they pushed him back in. Each time he tried to climb out, they pushed him in again. Poor Kund struggled and called, but there was no one near to see the wicked boys and to deliver brave Kund. Slowly his cries grew weaker and weaker, but the cruel boys would not let him out unless he would promise to steal. Soon his brave strokes stopped and he disappeared. He could die, but he would not steal.
When Kund did not return home with the cow, his father and mother went to search for him. They could see marks of a struggle at the bank of the stream, but they could not find their dear boy. It was not till next morning that they found his lifeless body down the stream. Who shall describe their feelings as they clasped the lifeless form? The wicked boys who had done the deed were found out, and the story of Kund’s brave stand was known. I can’t tell you what happened to those boys, for I never did hear. But I can tell you where Kund is now — he is in heaven with Jesus.
Dear Kund didn’t know when he said goodbye to his mother that he would never come home again. But he did know that his sins were all forgiven, and that if anything happened to him, he would be at home with Jesus. What if something happened to you today, and you were dead bore tomorrow? Where would you be? Oh, dear young reader, come to the Lord Jesus right now, and let His most precious blood wash away all your sins.
And, dear Christian boys and girls, let us not be afraid to stand up for Jesus. He is watching us all the time, and He wants you and me to live to please Him every day. He tells us in His Word, “Without Me ye can do nothing.” John 15:55I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (John 15:5).
ML 07/05/1953