I WAS riding in a street car the other day, and the weather being very wet the conductor had many times to strike the bell for the car to stop, while passengers one after another got in. By-and-by the seats were all taken, and the full number of passengers had one by one paid their fare.
I noticed a policeman with his blue coat and brass buttons sitting on one side, and opposite him was a lady with a little boy. Just then another lady wanted to enter the car, but was told there was no room. The policeman, who seemed a kind-hearted man, said to the little boy opposite, “Come, my little fellow, and sit on my knee to make room for that lady.”
The little boy’s face became very red, and when he found himself so close to the big policeman, and felt his strong arm around his waist, perhaps thoughts of prison, of being locked up all night, and being fed on bread and water, passed through his mind. And though he did not cry, it was quite plain he was a little bit afraid.
No doubt we can all remember the time when we ourselves were afraid of policemen. But tell me, need the little boy have felt uneasy? Certainly not, policemen have to protect those who do right; they only take persons to prison when a wrong act has been done. You may read in Romans 13:33For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: (Romans 13:3), what God says of those who hold the position of policemen and magistrates.
Now I find many people really think that God is a very hard Master, but the Bible tells us He delights in mercy, and that judgment is His strange work. He longs to make us happy, but if we go on sinning against Him, He will be obliged to punish us when His time comes for Christ to judge the wicked. Let us give up all hard thoughts about God, and believe that He so loved the world, as to send His only Son to die on the cross for us.
ML 02/05/1933