Mrs. Lang loved to sing, and her friends loved to listen to her. She sang all the time—when she rocked her baby to sleep, washed the dishes, or worked in the garden. She said that singing while she worked made the work seem easier. She loved the Lord Jesus and loved to talk to other people about Him. Even her singing was about Him and His love. Yes, she was a happy Christian.
A neighbor who lived next door to the Lang’s was a grumpy, grouchy old man. He was always yelling at the children or arguing with the neighbors. Mrs. Lang prayed for her neighbor, Mr. Stewart, but she could not find an opportunity to talk to him about the Lord Jesus.
She knew that he was getting old, and she knew that he did not love her Saviour. She wondered how much he had heard about Him. Would Mr. Stewart die in his sins? How sad that he knew nothing of the happiness that she had by knowing the Saviour.
One day Mrs. Lang was working at the kitchen sink. It was a warm summer day, and the window in front of her was open. Mr. Stewart was working in his garden in full view of her open window. Mrs. Lang thought, “If I can’t talk to him, maybe I can sing to him.” She started to sing in her strong, clear voice:
Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
She sang all the verses of this wonderful gospel hymn. She could tell that Mr. Stewart was listening. He stood up straight, not actually looking her way, but not working either. When she finished singing he slowly turned and walked back into the house.
Several times over the next two or three weeks Mrs. Lang sang hymns that she knew Mr. Stewart could hear and understand. Sometimes they were simple Sunday school songs and choruses. Other times they were about the love of the Lord Jesus for sinners and how He died on Calvary’s cross for them.
One day, about a month after she first started her “gospel singing” to Mr. Stewart, he spoke to Mr. Lang when they were both working in their yards. He asked questions about the Lord Jesus and the need of a Saviour. Mr. Lang was able to show him from the Bible what God has to say. He explained to Mr. Stewart that it was not enough just to know about God, but it was important to know Him as your own Saviour.
This first talk between Mr. Lang and Mr. Stewart opened the way for more talks. And in God’s time Mr. Stewart saw his need as a sinner and accepted the Lord Jesus as his Saviour. After that he was a happy Christian, too, and thanked Mrs. Lang for singing to him.
“Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” Ephesians 5:19.
“Is any merry? let him sing psalms.” James 5:13.
ML-07/11/1982