JOHN was a boy who “lived out.” His mother lived on a small farm among the rocky hills of New England, and John wrote to her every week. One day he picked up an old envelope from the kitchen woodbox. On the envelope he saw a postage stamp, which had been used once, but had no mark on it to show that it had been used. “The postmaster missed his aim then,” said John. “He left no mark on this stamp. It’s as good as new. I can use it myself.”
Then he moistened it by the steam from the spout of the tea-kettle, and carefully pulled the stamp off.
“Don’t do it,” said his conscience; “for that would be cheating. The stamp has been on one letter; it ought not to be used again.”
“It can be used again very well,” said John, “for there’s no mark on it, The post office won’t know.”
“But you know,” said his conscience, “and that’s enough. It’s not honest to use it the second time. It’s but a little matter to be sure; yet it’s cheating.’
“But no one will know it,” said John faintly.
“Yes,” cried all the better parts of John’s character, “it would be cheating to use the postage stamp the second time, and I’ll not do it.”
Then he tore the stamp in two and threw it away. Thus John won a grand victory that day. Had he used that stamp, he might have been like the grasshopper when he got his leg caught in the spider’s web. Once caught it was well-nigh impossible to get clear of it.
As we journey along life’s pathway Satan is ever setting snares for our feet, Only the Lord Jesus can lead us out of the path of the destroyer. May we learn to walk in company with Hint, that blessed Shepherd, who ever leads in the path of righteousness for His name’s sake (Ps. 23:3).
ML-11/06/1960