I WOULD like to preach,” said little Evan Hamilton to his mother, as they walked thoughtfully homeward after having listened attentively to the preaching of God’s Word.
“Why don’t you?” returned his mother with a curious smile. Evan looked up inquiringly,
“How can I?” he questioned, “I am too small.”
“You are young,” his mother replied, “but Evan, young as you are, your life can preach; and you can tell the people you meet about the Lord who loves them.”
Evan did not answer, but he repeated his mother’s words to himself.
In the evening, his uncle, a gay young man, unexpectedly arrived at his father’s house. He took great notice of Evan, who was an attractive child. Suddenly, as they were alone, Evan remembered his resolve.
“Uncle Donald,” he began hesitatingly, “I said I would like to preach, and mamma said I could, I would like to tell people how good the Lord is, and how He loves them. Are you glad He loves you?”
The uncle was startled, and turned the young questioner aside with a laugh. He never had felt the love of Christ to him. Go where he would, the question— “Are you glad He loves you?” pursued him.
Did the Lord really love him? he asked himself. Surely not; he was a careless, luckless fellow, and there was nothing in him to attract attention. It could only be the foolish fancy of a child that supposed such a thing. Still, he could not get rid of the thought, and it did not leave him until he inquired more deeply into the matter.
He found from Scripture that it was not good people, but sinners the Lord Jesus loved and died to save, and knowing he belonged to the class of sinners, he found that mercy was even for him.
Thus Evan preached, and thus his childish ministry was blessed. Every boy or girl may not be called upon to speak as he did, but all who know the Lord as their Saviour should seek earnestly to glorify Him by their lives, and to bear some witness to His goodness and love.
ML 02/13/1927