The greatest thing in all the world and what the
world is seeking today . . .
LOVE
Jesus often told stories to illustrate the point He wanted to get across. In fact, there are some 51 different occasions recorded in Scripture where He told stories or parables during His brief earthly sojourn. He looked upon this method as an excellent way to teach.
We, today, are no different than the people of Jesus’ day in respect to learning from this method. One story is told concerning a little fellow, about four years old. He knew the misfortune of having no parents. From the slums of a large city in the Midwestern United States, he was taken to an orphanage.
That first night was quite an experience for him. When bedtime came, after the first bath he had had in some time, the matron of the orphanage took him to a bed with clean white sheets. Somewhat reluctantly he said. “Do you want me to get in there?” “That’s where you’re going to sleep,” replied the matron. The little fellow wasn’t too sure of this! He had never slept in a bed in his entire life!”
After tucking him in, the matron reached down and kissed him goodnight. “What did you do that for?” said the little four-year old, as he reached up and rubbed off the kiss.
The next morning when he saw the lady who put him to bed, he said, “Would you mind doing that again . . . what you did last night?” He had never been kissed before. It did something to him . . . that warmed him inside.
In about a week’s time, the matron said the four-year old was coming around three or four times a day. He’d look up at her with a soft look on his face and say, “Would you love me a little?”
After some time in the orphanage, Tommy was suggested as a possible adoption choice for a family seeking a small boy. And one day he was brought into the room to meet them. “Tommy,” said the matron, “How would you like to go home with this nice lady? She wants you for her own!” Tommy looked down at the floor and couldn’t think of anything to say.
In a moment, the lady spoke up. “I’ll give you a hobby horse . . . and all sorts of playthings . . . and there’ll be so many nice things to do at our house.” Still he looked at the floor and didn’t speak. She kept right on talking, trying to persuade him how nice it would be at their home. After a bit, Tommy found his tongue and earnestly said to her, “Would you love me a little?”
It was Henry Drummond who said that, “Love is the greatest thing in the world.” In fact, he wrote a book and gave it that title.
It’s love that the world is seeking today. Too many mothers and dads are giving their children “playthings” to make them happy, when what they really want is some old-fashioned love. That’s what makes them feel secure. And a lack of it is what has made many a mother’s son or daughter take to the road—looking for love. And most will find only disillusionment.
But some have found love . . . in Jesus Christ. And they’ve gone back home to tell Mom and Dad about it. And homes have been reconciled—because of Jesus’ love.
Jesus’ love is “kind . . . patient . . . never haughty or rude. It doesn’t demand its own way. It’s not irritable or touchy. It doesn’t hold grudges . . . and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong. Love is forgiving.” ~Bob Bowman
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