In the city of Chicago, one cold, dark night, a blizzard was setting in. A little boy was selling newspapers on the corner; the people were in and out of the cold. The little boy was so cold that he wasn't trying to sell many papers.
He walked up to a policeman and said, "Mister, you wouldn't happen to know where a poor boy could find a warm place to sleep tonight would you? You see, I sleep in a box up around the corner there and down the alley and its awful cold in there for tonight. Sure would be nice to have a warm place to stay."
The policeman looked down at the little boy and said, "You go down the street to that big white house and you knock on the door. When they come out the door you just say John 3:16, and they will let you in." So he did. He walked up the steps and knocked on the door, and a lady answered.
He looked up and said, "John 3:16 ." The lady said, "Come on in, Son." She took him in and she sat him down in a split bottom rocker in front of a great big old fireplace, and she went off. The boy sat there for a while and thought to himself: John 3:16 ....I don't understand it, but it sure makes a cold boy warm.
Later she came back and asked him "Are you hungry?" He said, "Well, just a little. I haven't eaten in a couple of days, and I guess I could stand a little bit of food." The lady took him in the kitchen and sat him down to a table full of wonderful food. He ate and ate until he couldn't eat any more. Then he thought to himself: John 3:16... Boy, I sure don't understand it but it sure makes a hungry boy full.
She took him upstairs to a bathroom to a huge bathtub filled with warm water, and he sat there and soaked for a while. As he soaked, he thought to himself: John 3:16... I sure don't understand it, but it sure makes a dirty boy clean. You know, I've not had a bath, a real bath, in my whole life. The only bath I ever had was when I stood in front of that big old fire hydrant as they flushed it out.
The lady came in and got him. She took him to a room, tucked him into a big old feather bed, pulled the covers up around his neck, kissed him goodnight and turned out the lights. As he lay in the darkness and looked out the window at the snow coming down on that cold night, he thought to himself: John 3:16... I don't understand it but it sure makes a tired boy rested.
The next morning the lady came back up and took him down again to that same big table full of food. After he ate, she took him back to that same big old split bottom rocker in front of the fireplace and picked up a big old Bible. She sat down in front of him and looked into his young face.
The next morning the lady came back up and took him down again to that same big table full of food. After he ate, she took him back to that same big old split bottom rocker in front of the fireplace and picked up a big old Bible. She sat down in front of him and looked into his young face.
"Do you understand John 3:16 ?" she asked gently. He replied, "No, Ma'am, I don't. The first time I ever heard it was last night when the policeman told me to use it." She opened the Bible to John 3:16 and began to explain to him about Jesus. Right there, in front of that big old fireplace, he gave his heart and life to Jesus. He sat there and thought: John 3:16. .. .. I don't understand it, but it sure makes a lost boy feel safe.
- Authur Unknown
Wow.
You know, I have to confess I don't understand it either, how God was willing to send His only Son to die for me, and how Jesus would agree to do such a thing. I don't understand the agony of the Father and every angel in heaven as they watched Jesus suffer and die.
I don't understand the intense love for ME that kept Jesus on the cross till the end. I don't understand it, but it sure does make life worth living.
The bible verse says John 3:16 : "For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life."
The child and the policemen can be related to the people we meet in our lives daily. Whilst the policeman knew God and knew his love, the child did not know either. Did the policeman turn away when the boy asked for help? He could have- it surly wasn’t his duty to help a stranger find a place to stay in. But was it his duty to help spread the love of Christ to that little boy who dint know where true warmth and comfort rests? YES. It was. Today, it is our responsibility too, and in a world where everyone is so busy, ensuring we shoulder this responsibility is just as important as our lives are to us.
What are we doing today to help bring back a lost soul? Are we even concerned about getting back souls to Christ so that they don’t perish, but can have a share in eternal life with Christ too? You don’t need to only evangelize to be able to get a soul back to Christ. If we haven’t already, let’s start by doing the small things- For instance, not letting your anger get the better of you, forgiving those who have hurt you, bringing your friends along to HSI (or any other catholic outreach) meetings you attend or even taking them along when you go to Church.
Eternal Life… I’m definitely ensuring that many people get a share of that as I go along! I hope you will too.
P.S- Todays a good day to start bringing back souls to Christ, get your friends along!- We have Swapna Abraham (world-renowned known Worship singer) with us for the second time at our meeting in Jebel Ali. I hear it’s going to be AWSOME!
Olivia Pereira
HSI Media
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