John 3:16 and the Homeless Boy
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 it's 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
knock on the door. When they come out of 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 does make a dirty boy clean.
You know, I've not had 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 table full of food. After
he ate, she took him down again 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.
You know, I have to confess I
don't understand it either, how God was willing to send His 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 t hey 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.
John 3:16 - "For
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
If you have questions about
Especially For Youth or any ministry information contact:
Letters@FridayStudy.org
Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
www.fridaystudy.org
Ron@fridaystudy.org
