IN A SMALL mountain village in India lived Rani, a little brown Indian boy, with his mother and father and two fat, chubby baby brothers.
One day Rani wandered into the village temple and looked around at the idols, thinking in his little heart how ugly they were. Rani couldn’t understand how it was that so many of his friends came to worship these hideous lumps of stone instead of the true God, of whom his parents had taught him.
While these thoughts were busy in Rani’s head a poor old man entered the temple. He was very feeble and with tottering footsteps passed from one idol to another, laying a few incense sticks before them and praying. Big tears came into Rani’s eyes as he watched.
“Here is an old man who has not long to live,” he thought to himself, “and he does not know the way to heaven.” Something inside Rani kept urging him to speak to the old man and he plucked up courage to step up to him and say, “Master, may I speak?”
“Why are you crying, little boy?” inquired the old man, seeing the tears on Rani’s cheeks.
“I am crying because I am so sorry for you!” exclaimed the boy, much to the surprise of the old man.
“Sorry for me?” he echoed. “But why?”
“Because you are very old and cannot live much longer. And you do not know the way to heaven.”
“What!” exclaimed the old man. “Do you know the way to heaven?”
“Oh yes, Master, I do, for I know that the Lord Jesus has saved me. And He will save you, too, and take you to heaven if you ask Him.” Eagerness was brimming from Rani’s eyes as he spoke.
“Who is this Jesus?” asked the old man wonderingly. Then Rani told the story of God’s love in sending His Son to die for sinners—for his sins. Over and over again Rani repeated the words: “Jesus said... I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:66Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)).
“God loves you, Master,” continued Rani. “And Jesus, His Son, who died for us, lives in heaven now to save you if you will trust Him. He will take you to heaven!”
The old man’s heart was melted as he listened to the story of such love. He believed it to be true and his wrinkled face seemed to radiate inward joy.
“Boy,” he said, “come home with me, and you shall tell the old lady what you have told me.” So Rani went with his new friend and told again that beautiful story of how the Lord Jesus came to save sinners until in the hearts of the old couple there glowed a love for the One who had loved them enough to die for them.
Now they no longer worship idols in the little village temple for they know Christ, “Whom to know is life eternal.” And when the call comes to the old man and his wife they will both go to heaven, for they have “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
Are you, like Rani, saved? Do you know Jesus as your Saviour, as the One who has forgiven your sins? Do you know that you will be in heaven? All these blessings can be yours.
Right now the most wonderful invitation of all time is given to you. Jesus, Himself, is saying: “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” (Revelation 3:2020Behold, 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. (Revelation 3:20)).
E. G. C.
ML-02/27/1972