Old Joe had lived all his life in the foothills of a mountain range where he had spent his hermit-like existence prospecting for gold. He was an embarrassment to his socially prominent family, each one wealthy and successful. They shunned their recluse brother, never visiting him at his shack in the woods nor having any contact with him.
Year after year, the prospector worked alone, without a friend except for another “loner,” a poor rancher who, with his small family, ran a few head of cattle on a little spread not far away. The rancher and his family were Joe’s only visitors.
One day the rancher stopped for a visit with the old prospector and found that he had died in his sleep. The family was notified and burial arrangements were hurriedly made.
A few days later an expensive car pulled up to the prospector’s shack. Several well-dressed, uncomfortable people—the prospector’s brothers and sisters—entered the shack. As they searched through the meager, decrepit belongings of their deceased sibling, the rancher knocked at the door.
“Didn’t know Joe had any family,” he said introducing himself.
“Our brother wasted his life. None of us tried to keep in contact with him because, frankly, he was an embarrassment to us. We didn’t have time to bother with him and his foolishness” came the haughty reply.
The rest nodded in agreement.
After a few more minutes examining the old shack, an exasperated sister said, “There’s nothing here but a pile of useless junk—just like Joe’s life—absolutely worthless. Let’s leave it, put the place up for sale, and let the new owner clean it up.”
The rest again nodded their agreement.
At that point they were interrupted by the rancher, who had been silently watching.
“If you folks ain’t gonna want any of Joe’s stuff here, would ya’ mind if I helped m’self?”
With a sneering laugh one of the brothers said, “You can have any of this trash you want.”
After they left, the rancher went to the huge, thick, rough-hewn table in the middle of the shack. He carefully lifted the heavy wooden planks to reveal a hidden opening which was filled with a fortune in gold nuggets. After staring at it a moment, he turned and looked out the door at the disappearing car.
“Too bad they didn’t take time to git to know ’im better,” he said shaking his head.
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me” (Rev. 3:20).
This was written to believers for a time when professing Christianity will publicly be ashamed of His glorious Person and His precious name. The Lord Jesus is looking for individual fellowship with each one of His blood-bought own—and what infinite riches He has to share with those who will open the door! Do you have time to get to know Him better?
Ed.