ROSA ran across the street to a rough-looking man who sat on the curb, dejected and miserable looking. Raising her bright blue eyes, she looked into his face, and said, “Poor man, I am very sorry for you. Can I do anything to help you?”
The child’s sweet voice fell strangely on the ear of the hardened sinner, so used to only loud, harsh words, but so seldom to words like Rosa’s. He looked at the child, and said sadly, “I am without a home or a friend on earth, dear child.”
“God will be a Friend to you. He loves you,” said Rosa softly.
The drunkard held out his trembling hand toward the child, and she bent down and kissed it. It was all that she could do, dear child, to speak a kind and loving word, and to couple with it a token of her love to the friendless, homeless man. But it was enough. That act of love reached his heart, and softened it. The word of God’s grace reached his soul, God owned it, and blessed it to his conversion.
Years passed on. A silvery-headed, kindly-looking man stood addressing a group of Sunday school children one afternoon, and finished his address by telling the children not to miss an opportunity of speaking a kind word, or in doing a kind deed, for said he, “It was a word spoken to me by a dear child, when I was friendless and homeless, that God used to bring me to Himself.”
After the stranger had finished speaking, and the children had gone, a lady walked up to the aged Christian, and holding out her hand toward him, said, “Sir, do you know me?” He looked at her for a moment, and then, clasping both her hands in his while the tears flowed down his cheeks, he said, “Yes, it was that word you spoke to me when you were a child God used to bring me to Himself.”
Even a small child, saved by grace, can do something for the Saviour. A word spoken from a tender heart, filled with God’s compassion for sinners, will often reach a hardened heart. A kind act done for Jesus’ sake, might be the honored messenger of leading a soul to God. Children saved can do a great work for God in eternity. Reader, are you saved? And if so, are you seeking to bring others to the Saviour?
You cannot help others out of the mire until your own feet are on the rock. You must be saved yourself, and on your way to heaven, before you can lead others to the gates of glory.
ML-10/18/1964