A little farm has a field with a fence around it, and if you look around, you will see two horses in the field. From a distance, each horse looks like any other horse. But if you walk up close, you will see something a little unexpected.
Looking into the eyes of the larger horse, you will see that he is blind. In spite of this problem, his kind owner has chosen to keep him and has provided a good home and a friend for him.
Like the owner of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we
are not perfect. He knows we are all sinners, but He loves us anyway. In His great love and kindness to us, He has provided a loving Saviour for our sin problem. He also wants to be a close and caring Friend.
There is something amazing about these two horses. If you stand nearby and listen, you will hear the sound of a bell. Listening for the source of the sound, you will discover that it comes from the smaller horse in the field. And if you look closer, you will see that attached to the horse’s halter is a small bell. The tinkling of the bell lets the blind horse know where his friend is, so he can follow.
As you stand and watch these two horse companions, you’ll see that the horse with the bell is always checking on the blind horse. The blind horse will listen for the bell and then slowly walk to where the other horse is.
When the horse with the bell returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, he stops occasionally and looks back, making sure that his blind friend isn’t too far behind to hear the bell. Isn’t it amazing that the horse with the bell somehow seems to sense that his friend cannot see and needs his help?
Some of you children may have a boy or girl in your class at school or in your neighborhood who is handicapped in some way. Are you kind and helpful to that person? The Bible tells us, “Be ye kind one to another” (Ephesians 4:3232And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32)). If you have ever had a cast on your arm or foot, you know it is hard to do certain things. How kind it is when one of your friends or even somebody you don’t know opens a door for you. You are thankful for their kindness and help.
Do you know what the Lord Jesus did when He saw blind Bartimaeus sitting beside the roadway begging? He stopped and healed Bartimaeus’s eyes so he could see! How kind the Lord Jesus was to so many, many people, healing them of their diseases. You and I can’t heal people, but we can be helpful and kind to them just the same. Like the horse with the bell, we can be a friend and help others to find their way.
The greatest kindness this world has ever known was the Lord Jesus going to Calvary’s cross and dying for sinners like you and me. He saw our great need and came down to earth purposely to bear the punishment for the sins of every sinner who would see their need and accept His loving-kindness and forgiveness. Will you admit your need and accept Him as your Saviour and Friend?
ML-04/24/2011