“Do you ever speak a word for Jesus, Fred?” “Not very often. I just don’t seem to have the courage.”
“Do the other lads at your shop know that you are a Christian and on your way to heaven?”
“I think they do, but I have really never told them.”
Fred hung his head in shame. Some months before, he had remained behind at a gospel meeting and had accepted the Lord Jesus as His Saviour, and I was anxious to know if he had found the joy of confessing his Lord at the shop.
“Well, it does seem rather strange to think that you are saved yourself and on your way to heaven, and yet you have never told those other young men that you work with every day.
Remember, Fred, they too have souls and they need the Saviour.”
We walked along together in silence for a while, and then Fred spoke, “I wish you would pray for me, Jim, for I do want to confess my Lord, and I would like to confess Him to my work-mates.”
The following Sunday afternoon, we had an open-air meeting right in front of the shop where Fred worked. Quite a number of his work-mates were standing around, and I could see that they were quite surprised to see Fred standing with us in the circle, and bravely singing gospel hymns.
One after another of our little circle of young Christians stood out and gave a short, clear gospel appeal. It looked as though Fred was going to be last, and I could see that a real struggle was going on, for the devil hates to hear the name of the Lord Jesus reverently confessed, and he was trying to keep Fred from speaking.
At last he stepped forward, and in a few broken sentences told how the Lord had saved him and cleansed him from all his sins, and urged those who were listening to accept the Saviour too. It was a pretty feeble effort, and I saw his shop-mates smiling at his embarrassment and emotion. But he had confessed his Lord and Saviour! And it was not the last time, for many times after that, Fred freely and eagerly spoke to souls about their need of the Saviour.
This is my message to young Christians who read this paper. Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour! Begin with those nearest you—in your own home. Tell your schoolmates and your work-mates of that wonderful Saviour who died to put away your sins. And to any who read this paper and are not yet saved, I urge you to turn now to the Lord Jesus Christ, the only Saviour, and accept Him now.
ML 06/14/1953