There was once a poor African family—father, mother, five children—who were starving.
The father could not get money enough to buy food for them all, so the parents resolved to sell one of the children for a slave, and use the money they would get for it to buy provisions, to save the rest from dying of starvation. So the five children were placed in a row, and the father and mother tried to decide which one to sell.
“Well, we cannot sell Sam,” said the father; “he is so strong and active, we could not do without him.”
“Cassy certainly must not go,” said the mother; “she minds the children, and is my greatest comfort,”
“Well, poor Tom shall not be sold, he is so patient and gentle, and could not bear hard treatment,” said the father, “and I am sure I will never part with Chloe, who is the life of us all—she is so merry.”
“And you would not have me give up my baby then?” said the mother.
“No, we cannot spare one of them; we had better starve a little longer first.”
These poor African parents had five dear children, and they could not spare one; but God gave His only Son for our sakes. O, what love!
And think of the love of Jesus! He came and died such a shameful death, to wash away our sins in His precious blood, and I am sure we should love Him all our lives for it.
We find out what a dreadful thing sin is, when we see that nothing but the blood of the Son of God can blot it out; and now if we believe in Him, we need never think a single sin will be heard of again for every one of them is gone forever.
ML 07/19/1942