In a little village lived a very godless man, a tavern keeper. His boast was that he never entered a church nor read the Bible.
It so happened that someone presented the village church with a new and very fine organ. Its dedication was a great event in this small place, and everyone was anxious to be present on that first Sunday and hear it played. Now our friend the tavern keeper was exceedingly fond of music. When he heard of these fine doings, he began to wonder if he too might not go to hear the music.
“I could go to the church and just hear the music," he remarked. "That would be very well; but I have no intention of sitting there listening to prayers and Bible reading.”
Thinking the matter over for some time he concluded that he would go. While the organ was silent he would keep his fingers in his ears and avoid hearing anything else. This plan seemed an excellent one, and for a while it worked very well. He enjoyed the program of music at the commencement of the service immensely. Then in went his fingers into his ears and he heard not a single word of the prayer which followed. Now came another hymn. This too he enjoyed; but when the Bible was opened by the minister, known to be a godly man, the fingers quickly went in again.
It was summer and the day was hot. The man too was hot; and his skin, moist with perspiration, exuded the odor of the tavern. Suddenly a fly alighted on his nose. It did not sit quietly there, but walked slowly around, tickling him with its tiny threadlike legs. First he shook his head gently, then violently; but the fly kept on tickling his face. He tried blowing. It was no use. He could stand it no longer. Out came his fingers, and he raised his hand to swat the tormenting insect.
God used that one moment to drive an arrow into the conscience of this wicked man. As his ears became unstopped this is what the minister was reading: "He that hath ears to hear let him hear." Matt. 11:1515He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Matthew 11:15).
Perhaps the tavern keeper for the first time in his life heard God's Word! He knew it was God speaking directly to him, warning him against his evil ways. He dared not close his ears again, but listened intently.
When the service was over, he, a convicted sinner, came to the minister to ask as the Philippian jailer did long ago, "What must I do to be saved?" Acts 16:3030And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? (Acts 16:30).
The minister was not slow in pointing him to Jesus, the one and only name by which we can be saved. It was not easy for him to grasp the wonderful fact that Jesus had really died upon the cross as a sacrifice to God for sin, and that now He is offering salvation, eternal life, and full forgiveness of sins as a free gift to all who believe on Him. But at last, through God's infinite grace, the former hater of God and His Word became a happy, consistent Christian.