Good morning and welcome to my blog. On Fridays I post a study out of the Book of John. I had been posting the Be Attitudes on Wednesdays, but I pretty much finished those. So for the time being I pray these little stories will act as a mid-week boost. These are from one of my Bible programs, and again I pray the give you a lift in the middle of your week.
I remember the first Good Samaritan I ever saw. I had been in this world only three or four years when my father died a bankrupt, and the creditors came and swept away about everything we had. My widowed mother had a cow and a few things, and it was a hard struggle to keep the wolf from the door. My brother went to Greenfield, and secured work in a store for his board, and went to school. It was so lonely there that he wanted me to get a place so as to be with him; but I didn't want to leave home. One cold day in November my brother came home and said he had a place for me. I said that I wouldn't go; but, after it was talked over, it was decided that I should go. I didn't want my brothers to know that I hadn't the courage to go; but that night was a long one.
The next morning we started. We went up on the hill, and had a last sight of the old house. We sat down there and cried. I thought that would be the last time I should ever see that old home. I cried all the way down to Greenfield. There my brother introduced me to an old man who was so old he couldn't milk his cows nor do odd jobs; so I was to run his errands, milk his cows, and go to school. I looked at the old man and saw he was cross. I took a good look at the wife, and thought she was crosser than the old man. I stayed there an hour, and it seemed like a week. I went round then to my brother and said—
"I am going home."
"What are you going home for?"
"I am homesick," I said.
"Oh, well, you will get over it in a few days."
"I never will," I said. "I don't want to."
He said, "You will get lost if you start for home now; it is getting dark."
I was frightened then, as I was only about ten years old, and I said, "I will go at daybreak to-morrow morning."
He took me to a shop window, where they had some jack-knives and other things, and tried to divert my mind. What did I care for those old jack-knives? I wanted to get back home to my mother and brothers; it seemed as if my heart was breaking.
All at once my brother said, "Dwight, there comes a man that will give you a cent."
"How do you know he will?" I asked.
"Oh, he gives every new boy that comes to town a cent!"
I brushed away the tears, for I wouldn't have him see me crying, and I got right in the middle of the sidewalk, where he couldn't help but see me, and kept my eyes right upon him. I remember how that old man looked as he came tottering down the sidewalk. On, such a bright, cheerful, sunny face he had! When he came opposite to where I was he stopped, took my hat off, put his hand on my head, and said to my brother—
"This is a new boy in town, isn't it?"
"Yes, sir, he is; just come to-day."
I watched to see if he would put his hand into his pocket. I was thinking of that cent. He began to talk to me so kindly that I forgot all about it. He told me that God had an only Son, and He sent Him down here, and wicked men killed Him; and he said He died for me. He only talked five minutes, but he took me captive. After he had given me this little talk, he put his hand in his pocket and took out a brand new cent, a copper that looked just like gold. He gave me that; I thought it was gold, and didn't I hold it tight! I never felt so rich before or since. I don't know what became of that cent; I have always regretted that I did not keep it; but I can feel the pressure of the old man's hand on my head to-day. Many years have rolled away, and I can hear those kind words ringing yet. I never shall forget that act. He put the money at usury; that cent has cost me a great many dollars. I have never walked up the streets of this country or the old country, but down into my pocket goes my hand, and I take out some money and give it to every forlorn, miserable child I see. I think how the old man lifted a load from me, and I want to lift a load from some one else.
Do you want to be like Christ? Go and find some one who has fallen, and get your arm under him, and lift him up toward heaven. The Lord will bless you in the very act. May God help us to go and do like the Good Samaritan! - Anecdotes, Incidents and Illustrations.
Luke 10:30-35
30 In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. `Look after him,' he said, `and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
"What are you going home for?"
"I am homesick," I said.
"Oh, well, you will get over it in a few days."
"I never will," I said. "I don't want to."
He said, "You will get lost if you start for home now; it is getting dark."
I was frightened then, as I was only about ten years old, and I said, "I will go at daybreak to-morrow morning."
He took me to a shop window, where they had some jack-knives and other things, and tried to divert my mind. What did I care for those old jack-knives? I wanted to get back home to my mother and brothers; it seemed as if my heart was breaking.
All at once my brother said, "Dwight, there comes a man that will give you a cent."
"How do you know he will?" I asked.
"Oh, he gives every new boy that comes to town a cent!"
I brushed away the tears, for I wouldn't have him see me crying, and I got right in the middle of the sidewalk, where he couldn't help but see me, and kept my eyes right upon him. I remember how that old man looked as he came tottering down the sidewalk. On, such a bright, cheerful, sunny face he had! When he came opposite to where I was he stopped, took my hat off, put his hand on my head, and said to my brother—
"This is a new boy in town, isn't it?"
"Yes, sir, he is; just come to-day."
I watched to see if he would put his hand into his pocket. I was thinking of that cent. He began to talk to me so kindly that I forgot all about it. He told me that God had an only Son, and He sent Him down here, and wicked men killed Him; and he said He died for me. He only talked five minutes, but he took me captive. After he had given me this little talk, he put his hand in his pocket and took out a brand new cent, a copper that looked just like gold. He gave me that; I thought it was gold, and didn't I hold it tight! I never felt so rich before or since. I don't know what became of that cent; I have always regretted that I did not keep it; but I can feel the pressure of the old man's hand on my head to-day. Many years have rolled away, and I can hear those kind words ringing yet. I never shall forget that act. He put the money at usury; that cent has cost me a great many dollars. I have never walked up the streets of this country or the old country, but down into my pocket goes my hand, and I take out some money and give it to every forlorn, miserable child I see. I think how the old man lifted a load from me, and I want to lift a load from some one else.
Do you want to be like Christ? Go and find some one who has fallen, and get your arm under him, and lift him up toward heaven. The Lord will bless you in the very act. May God help us to go and do like the Good Samaritan! - Anecdotes, Incidents and Illustrations.
Luke 10:30-35
30 In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. `Look after him,' he said, `and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
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