William Dean was a believer in Christ. His life testified to the reality of his faith. His walk and ways were consistent and exemplary. But William's heart was sad and burdened.
His wife was a stranger to the grace of God, and made very plain her dislike to that which he most valued. Her unpleasant, ungracious manner repelled any attempt on the part of Christian friends to set the truth before her. In fact she avoided them as much as possible, or else she met them with such signs of aversion that the solemn truth of God's Word was verified: "the carnal mind is enmity against God.”
It happened one day that her husband went to the village shop and bought some bacon. It was given to him wrapped in a piece of printed paper torn from a gospel publication containing an article on the scripture: "What think ye of Christ?" Matt. 22:4242Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. (Matthew 22:42).
William did not notice what was on the paper; and when he returned home he took the bacon out of its wrapping, gave the meat to his wife to use for dinner, and then threw the paper into the fire.
The embers happened to be very low, and, indeed, were almost burned out. As the piece of paper lay smoldering before bursting into flame the bold headlines caught Mrs. Dean's eye: "What think ye of Christ?" "What," said she to herself, "do I think of Christ?”
She pondered the words as she bent over her cooking. The Spirit of God applied them to her conscience. She could not get rid of them. They were constantly coming before her and gave her no rest until she realized, through grace, her own hardness of heart. Then with a broken and contrite spirit she confessed her sin and cast herself on Him whom she now knew as "altogether lovely.”
Dear soul, have you turned from self to the Savior? Can you say from your heart: “Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God." Matt. 16:1616And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. (Matthew 16:16).
“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”