Young Kimba worked on a farm in Africa where they grew a lot of peanuts. One fine morning he set off with his pup Shep and his bag and headed for the field where they were planting peanuts. He whistled as he went along for he had a kind master and all the world seemed good to him. He began walking across the ploughed land, bending down and planting the peanuts at regular intervals.
With a joyful bark Shep followed his young master, but when Kimba looked behind him he saw that Shep had dug up each nut he had planted, and was just at his heels wagging his tail, and thinking it was a fine game.
Kimba hadn’t the heart to scold his dog, for he was just a pup and didn’t know much about farming. So he talked to Shep and tried to show him that he didn’t want the nuts dug up again.
Gathering up the nuts, Kimba went back to start all over again. But as he feared, Shep still thought it was a game and was busy digging up each one as it was put into the ground. This time Kimba was angry and smacked Shep’s paws, telling him he was being very naughty.
Soon, however, Kimba was joined by another farmer who also had a dog and who had been on the peanut farm for years. Kimba explained the situation to his friend. He suggested that the two dogs make friends and together watch the planting of the nuts. He thought that his dog would get the message across to Shep.
So again Kimba started off on his task, regularly planting nuts as he had done so often before. Looking back he saw Shep standing beside his new friend and ready to run for the nuts as before, but something restrained him. Kimba was able to finish the row, and then a second, and still Shep stood still beside his companion. The other dog was able to tell Shep what his master could not. He got the message across.
Then Kimba went over and gave both dogs a special pat of approval and never again did he have any problem with Shep digging up his peanuts.
Now God in heaven had a message for sinners like you and me—a message of love for boys and girls, and men and women. He did not use angels to bring this message down to earth, but He sent His own dear Son, who became a Man, like us—only He was both God and Man in one blessed Person, the holy sinless One. He brought the love of God down to this sin-cursed earth where all the sons of fallen Adam were ruined and lying under the power of sin and Satan.
An angel could not die to put away sin; no creature could do so. But Jesus, the Son of God, became Man so that He might die and shed His precious blood as a sacrifice for sin. Now the risen Saviour from heaven proclaims the message of love to sinners everywhere, how “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
Now God uses boys and girls, and older folks too, of course, who have trusted Jesus as their Saviour to get the message of the gospel across to others. Have you ever thought that He could use you to get the message across to your friends and neighbors? He will help you to tell them, or show them how much He loves them, if your every day life shows that His love is real in your own heart. He can work in their hearts and you might be surprised at finding someone ready and willing to listen.
ML-08/27/1978