The hospital visitor stopped by the bed of a young man. Seeing how very sick he seemed to be, she asked if there were anything she could do for his comfort.
“No,” he told her, adding that he was too sick for help and nearing the end of life.
Speaking gently, she asked him about his hope for eternity. His face darkened and his voice rose angrily as he said, “Lady, don’t talk to me of Christianity! I hate Christians! My father claimed to be a Christian, but I hate him. I will never forgive him for all the trouble he made for me. No, I don’t want to hear about your Christianity. I hate it.”
Quietly she replied: “Yes, we Christians often disappoint and fail even those we love best. I am sorry to have to admit that, my friend. But you don’t understand why I am here. I don’t want to talk to you about Christians or religion.”
He looked up with an expression of surprise and relief as she went on: “I want to talk to you about a Person who is fully able to meet your need even at a time like this.”
He thought about her words for a moment. Then with a little more interest he asked, “Who is that person?”
“He is the Son of God,” she continued. “He said about Himself, For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. You have blamed Christians for hurting you. I don’t know whether that is right or wrong, but I ask you, Can you bring any such charge against the Son of God?”
He considered her question, then answered hesitantly: “I don’t know that He ever harmed me.”
“Well, I know that He never, never harmed you. He loves you even now, just as you are, with your heart full of hatred.”
Then without interruption she told him the old sweet story of God’s love. She told him of the love that took Christ to Calvary to die for sinners, even those who hated Him. She explained how He cried out in agony on the cruel cross: My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?
The young man listened, spellbound, until she stopped speaking. Suddenly his face changed and he said defiantly, “I don’t believe you! No, I don’t believe that God loves me. Nobody loves me. Don’t talk of love to me! There’s been no love in my life!”
At the angry outburst the heart of the visitor was suddenly filled with pity. She imagined what it would be like to be lying there sick and helpless, with only a few brief days between her soul and eternal condemnation. The horror of it all and her own helplessness brought great, scalding tears to her eyes.
The tears just came, try though she did to control them. She tried to speak, but her voice was so choked with grief that she could not say a word. After standing beside him for a few minutes, crying silently, she turned away in defeat and embarrassment and left the hospital.
After a few days she visited again. Asking about the young man, she was taken to the isolation unit where he had been moved. What a sight met her eyes! Those large bright eyes which had gleamed with hatred and defiance a few days before were now shining with happiness. His pale face was radiant with a heavenly joy as he lifted a thin hand in recognition.
His greeting was: “Oh, lady! I am so happy in here!” He dropped his hand over his heart, patting his hollow chest. “Yes, so happy,” he went on. “The hate is all gone now and when I think of my heavenly Father I feel so good in here.” Again he touched his chest.
The visitor was so happy as they spoke of the love and grace of God in sending His Son to die for the lost. Then with a few comforting promises from God’s Word she turned to go, but he said, “Wait a minute! Do you know what broke me up and led me to this peace?”
“No, I have no idea,” she answered.
“It was your tears that melted me down. That day you stood crying by my bed I began to ask myself the question: Does that stranger love my soul so much? Does she really care about me?
“At last I had to admit that you must love me, and at once came the conviction that the things you had told me about God loving me and giving Christ to die for my sins were true too. I believed it, and peace came into my heart. Now I am so happy.”
“ Hereby perceive we the love of God,
because He laid down
His life for us.”