It was a warm sunny afternoon in Toronto, Canada. A car stopped in front of a big old house, and the driver paused for a few moments with bowed head behind the wheel. He was praying! Yes, Mr. Leslie had a very special reason for visiting this old home—he was going to talk to the boys who were inside and tell them about Jesus and His love.
Why weren’t those boys out playing on such a fine day? Ah, they were not allowed outside, for they were in jail! That big old house was a “detention home” for bad boys under sixteen. When I say “bad boys,” I mean boys who have been arrested by the police. But let us remember that God’s Word says, “there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” Rom. 3:1212They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (Romans 3:12).
Mr. Leslie rang the bell and was at once admitted by a stern looking, but kindhearted man. He entered a large room and sat down at a table with a group of boys around him.
They sang a few hymns, had prayer together, and then Mr. Leslie opened his Bible and began to read. What should he tell them? Would it be right to tell them to try hard to be good so that they might earn their way to heaven? No! Not one sin shall ever enter that holy place, and all our trying will never get rid of even one sin. I am so glad that Mr. Leslie knew just the very message that Jesus wanted those boys to hear. He told them that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,” 1 Tim. 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15); and “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” 1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7). He told them that if they would just own themselves bore God as sinners, and accept the Lord Jesus, His beloved Son, by faith as their own Saviour, they would be cleansed from all their sins and be saved.
One of the boys named Jimmie seemed to be listening eagerly. Suddenly he asked, “Sir, how do you know Jesus would hear me? Maybe when I meet Him, He would tell me He was too busy and didn’t hear me at all.”
What is the answer to that question? Well, Mr. Leslie opened his Bible to John 1:4848Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. (John 1:48), and told Jimmie the story of Nathanael, a young man who one day was sitting under a fig tree. Suddenly Philip came and invited him to come to Jesus. Was Jesus too busy to see him? Not at all!
Jesus was glad to see him, and Nathanael got a blessing that day that he is enjoying even now—and all because he came to Jesus.
Won’t you COME TO JESUS, dear young friend, now? He waits to save and bless you. But Jesus told Nathanael that He had seen him while he was still under the fig tree. And Jesus could see and hear Jimmie, in the detention home too. He can see and hear you all the time, even now while you read this paper, and He wants you to turn and take Him as your Saviour.
ML-02/06/1966