ED WAS just a little fellow, not old enough to go to school. One day "Uncle George," a friend of his parents, paid them a visit. Uncle George brought along his beautiful violin which he could play very well. It looked very easy to Ed, but no one noticed he was listening or thought it made any impression on the boy.
Then the family moved far away and Ed grew old enough to go to school. When he was in second grade he got some money for his birthday. Right away he told his mother he knew just what he wanted from the toy store. His mother was surprised to see that it was a little violin. It looked like a real one but it was much smaller. It cost $1.79.
"Are you sure you want it?" asked Mother. "You can't play it."
"Oh yes," replied Ed. "It's just what I want and I will like to play it." So he bought the little violin and took it home.
Do you think he could make nice music come out of his violin like George could from his? No he could not, I'm sorry to say. Ed was quite disappointed. The little violin was not easy to play so he decided it wasn't a good toy and it was soon forgotten.
Some months later Uncle George paid them another visit. He had been across the ocean playing his violin, and though it was a long time since Ed had last seen him, the boy remembered his playing. Immediately Ed ran to his toy box and dug out his little toy violin. There was only one string left. Ed started to tell Uncle George how it would not play. But Uncle George only smiled as he tightened the one string and tuned it. Then tucking the little instrument under his big chin he took his good bow and proceeded to play a beautiful tune. It was easy to recognize, "Jesus loves Me!"
A look of wonder came over Ed's face and he looked at his little toy with new interest and appreciation.
Dear boys and girls, doesn't this remind us of what the Lord Jesus can do in our lives? What a difference it can make in the way we act and speak if we give ourselves up to Him. We cannot of ourselves make anything pleasing to God come out of these hearts and lives of ours, for we are all sinners and "there is none righteous, no not one."
Ed meant well but he was not able. Neither can our parents or friends help us in this for, "none . . . can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him." Psa. 99:77He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them. (Psalm 99:7).
However, there is one that can. If we put out trust in the Lord Jesus as our Saviour, we are saved. Then just as uncle George, the expert violinist, could make beautiful music come from a toy violin, so the Lord can bring forth praise to God from our lives.
It is not too early to be saved, nor is it too late. You can be saved and happy right now, and the Lord will use you to make others happy too.
Messages of the Love of God 5/18/1975