The Gospel Cap

 •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 5
 
An old, old man sat on a pier, looking out to sea. On his head was a captain's cap. On that cap was a big anchor of iron—a small copy of a real boat anchor. The anchor looked much too big for anyone to wear on his cap.
As two men approached the old captain one said to the other: "Take a look at that captain's cap!"
"Yes, I know him well," said the other man. "He wears that heavy anchor so people will ask him why."
"Good morning, Captain," said the first man. "That is a pretty big anchor you wear on your hat."
"Yes, sir," beamed the old sailor. "It is that indeed—would you like to know why?"
With that the old captain stood up and took off his hat, turned it upside down and handed it to him. Inside that cap were pasted the verses of the gospel hymn, "Will your anchor hold?"
"Read it, please," pleaded the old man. The man read it aloud, as the old captain smiled happily. He peered up at the first man and said, "Will your anchor hold too?"
The man assured the captain that his trust was in Jesus, and he knew he would be in heaven.
The old captain sat down again and put his captain's cap back on his head. He was happy to have told another person about his Lord and Savior.
Part of the hymn pasted in his hat is as follows:
Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,
When the clouds unfold their wings of strife,
When the strong tides lift, and the cables strain,
Will your anchor drift, or firm remain?
We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll;
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Savior's love!
As the two men went on their way they spoke of this old captain. He was not an eloquent man, and he could no longer see to read, yet he still had found a way to tell others about the way of salvation. Every time anyone asked him about the large, heavy anchor on his cap, the gospel hymn was read and the message from God to sinners was told again. The captain himself had gotten saved the same way, that is, by hearing the word of God, for faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
One time, long ago, his dear brother had gone out in his fishing boat and never returned. Even now, that old man still looks for his brother to come home. He is very old, and he forgets how long ago it was that his brother went fishing that fatal morning. Sometimes he looks seaward and cups his hands about his mouth and calls his brother's name.
The Lord Jesus is calling to you to come home too. He wants to take you home with Himself to heaven when He comes again. In the Bible the words "troubled sea" are a picture of this restless world of turmoil. We need to have Christ as our anchor, the only anchor for a soul. Then we will not be troubled or disturbed by all that is going on today in the world. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked—but—Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee.