Did U C Jesus?
This is a story that I hope you will read, take to heart, and learn from that you can't judge a book by it's cover.Up an old country lane where little traffic ever passed by, an elderly man lived in his little home that wasn't in the best of shape and only one room. Sometimes the roof would leak, cold air would sometimes blow through the cracks, the floor boards squeaked with age and the fireplace barely kept the man warm. However, he was grateful for all he had.
In the mornings, he would rise up early, stir the embers of the fireplace, add more wood to the fire and sit at the only furniture in his home, the table that was in the same room as his bed.
As the log began to burn and warm the little house, the elderly little man, waited silently for the sun to rise so he could read his Bible. While waiting for the sun, he spoke to the Lord. "Dear God, I'm getting old. I have no family left, and I have few earthly goods. Before I leave this world alone, Lord, would you please visit me this evening if it's not too much trouble? I know you're busy, but it would mean so much to me to have someone to visit me to give me a break from the loneliness. I ask this humbly in my Savior Jesus' name. Amen."
In faith, the old man began to look around his home for what he could prepare for the Savior's visit. All he had was a few potatoes and small loaf of hard bread. Not much to feed his Savior and King, but it was all he had. He began to prepare the potatoes for soup and wait Jesus his Savior to arrive.
He reached across the table to his worn Bible to open it and read. He began in the Psalms seeking comfort for his tired old soul. After reading for about an hour, he heard a knock on his door.
Excitedly, he stood and went to answer it. There on the stoop was a little girl. Her clothing was ragged, dirty, and thin. Her clothing wasn't enough to keep her warm. She humbly asked, "Sir, I hate to bother you, but we have no food in our house and I saw your house and thought you may have just a small something I could eat, please."
The old man's heart was touched. "Come in, child and get warm by the fire. I've not got much myself but a few potatoes and a small loaf of hard bread, but you see, I am expecting company." The little girl stood by the fire warming herself but the little old man couldn't say no. "Child, it isn't much, what I have, but I would be happy to share with you what I have." So, he got a bowl for the little girl and broke off a piece of bread for her. She ate, was happy and warm. The old man told her stories of when he was her age and soon laughter was abounding in the old shack.
The time passed swiftly and it was a little after noon. The little girl said, "Thank you sir for your kindness. I feel warm, full and happy. I had such a good time laughing and talking with you." The little old man said, "Child, any time you are welcome here." He opened the door and she hurried on her way.
It was now two o'clock and still Jesus hadn't arrived. He turned the soup to low to keep it warm and went back to reading his Bible. After a few hours, again, he heard a knock at his door. Surely, this is Jesus! He hurried to open the door to find a man with worn out shoes and no coat. He quickly asked the man to enter. "Not many folks come down this road, sir, and you are not dressed for this weather at all. Please get yourself warm by the fire."
The old man stirred the fire and put another log on then checked on his soup. The man told him, he was lost and wandering when he found this little house with the smoke coming from the chimney. "I've wandered around it seems forever and I'm so cold and hungry." The little old man began to look around. He'd already given some of the bread and soup to the little girl and he was concerned he wouldn't have enough left for Jesus when He arrived for His visit.
The little old man told him, "Sir, what I've got isn't much and I'm expecting company this evening, but I'd be glad to help you with what I have." He looked about and found an old pair of boots that were worn but better than what the man had on. He looked further and found a coat, scarf, hat and gloves. These too were worn but better than nothing. The little old man gave them to the man and said, "Sir, these aren't the best in the world, but they are extra and may be of use to you." He then turned, got another bowl and served the man a bowl of soup and broke another piece of hard bread off for him to eat.
As the man ate, he explained how his old car had broken down and he'd become lost trying to figure out where he was. Soon they were sharing stories of their lives and making jokes.
Soon it was time for the man to leave. He thanked the old man for his kindness and food then the old man gave him directions to the nearest town. The man said, "I can't thank you enough. You've saved my life and made a bad situation into a joyful one by raising my spirits." The little old man chuckled and said, "Stop by any time. I don't go many places and not many folks come this way."
The man left with his used boots, coat, hat and gloves headed toward the town the old man told him about.
By this time, it was beginning to get dark. The little old man looked out his window to see if he could see Jesus. No one was in sight. He stirred the soup again, realized that he had just enough left for himself and Jesus to have supper. He read his Bible, the only companion in this home he had.
Just then, another knock at his door, surely, this was Jesus! It was almost dark but still he had enough soup for him and his wonderful Savior to eat and talk over! He quickly opened the door to find a young pregnant woman. She was cold, scared and lost. "May I come in?" she asked. "Certainly. Come in and warm yourself by the fire." She walked in and he noticed how young she was. He couldn't help but wonder why she was out on a day like this and where she'd come from.
As she warmed herself, he asked, "I don't mean to pry, but should you be out in this weather in your condition? It looks like you are soon to be a mother." She hung her head low and as a tear fell down her cheek, she said that her family had abandoned her because she was expecting and was unwed.
The old man gently took her hand and patted it. "I don't have much but a little soup and some hard bread but you're welcome to it and to warm yourself. I was hoping company would come today, but I think He must have gotten tied up and couldn't make it." She smiled weakly and gratefully took the soup and the bread. This left just enough for the old man to eat before he went to bed for the night.
Soon she began to tell him her story of how she was raised in church but had strayed from God's path. Tears quietly streamed down her cheeks. She told him, "I repented for my sins but this baby is still to be born. I know I'm forgiven and God will help me somehow. He already has by putting you in my path." She smiled weakly and he again patted her hand. "Child, God loves us all. He is always waiting for us to return to Him. I'm glad you chose to come back to the Lord. He's the best friend I have. He will always help you."
They chatted for a while and soon she arose to leave. He told her he would keep her in his prayers, to have faith, and pointed in the direction of the closest town and told her what the name of the local church was that could help. She thanked him and was gone.
By now, it was quite late. The little old man put away his Bible and as he sat eating the last of the soup and the hard bread he prayed. "Lord, I so needed to see you today. I know You have the whole world in Your hands and all the people to take care of. It's just I was so hoping to see you before the day was over."
Quietly as he ate, he heard the voice of the Lord. "My beloved child, I did come to see you today." The old man thought and he could not remember seeing Jesus appear at his door. "Lord, when did you show up today? I've been home all day and I couldn't have missed you." God said, "Do you remember the little girl so hungry and poorly dressed? Do you remember the man who was lost and needed clothes and food? Do you remember the young expecting mother who was abandoned by her family?" The little old man said, "Yes, Lord, I remember and for the first time in years there was laughter and people here with me." The Lord replied, "I was each of those people. Remember my words? Look at MATTHEW 25: 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me." The old man smiled as he realized Jesus had been with him all day that day. He thanked the Lord for His kindness and filled with joy, went to bed praising God for His love and care.
In the mornings, he would rise up early, stir the embers of the fireplace, add more wood to the fire and sit at the only furniture in his home, the table that was in the same room as his bed.
As the log began to burn and warm the little house, the elderly little man, waited silently for the sun to rise so he could read his Bible. While waiting for the sun, he spoke to the Lord. "Dear God, I'm getting old. I have no family left, and I have few earthly goods. Before I leave this world alone, Lord, would you please visit me this evening if it's not too much trouble? I know you're busy, but it would mean so much to me to have someone to visit me to give me a break from the loneliness. I ask this humbly in my Savior Jesus' name. Amen."
In faith, the old man began to look around his home for what he could prepare for the Savior's visit. All he had was a few potatoes and small loaf of hard bread. Not much to feed his Savior and King, but it was all he had. He began to prepare the potatoes for soup and wait Jesus his Savior to arrive.
He reached across the table to his worn Bible to open it and read. He began in the Psalms seeking comfort for his tired old soul. After reading for about an hour, he heard a knock on his door.
Excitedly, he stood and went to answer it. There on the stoop was a little girl. Her clothing was ragged, dirty, and thin. Her clothing wasn't enough to keep her warm. She humbly asked, "Sir, I hate to bother you, but we have no food in our house and I saw your house and thought you may have just a small something I could eat, please."
The old man's heart was touched. "Come in, child and get warm by the fire. I've not got much myself but a few potatoes and a small loaf of hard bread, but you see, I am expecting company." The little girl stood by the fire warming herself but the little old man couldn't say no. "Child, it isn't much, what I have, but I would be happy to share with you what I have." So, he got a bowl for the little girl and broke off a piece of bread for her. She ate, was happy and warm. The old man told her stories of when he was her age and soon laughter was abounding in the old shack.
The time passed swiftly and it was a little after noon. The little girl said, "Thank you sir for your kindness. I feel warm, full and happy. I had such a good time laughing and talking with you." The little old man said, "Child, any time you are welcome here." He opened the door and she hurried on her way.
It was now two o'clock and still Jesus hadn't arrived. He turned the soup to low to keep it warm and went back to reading his Bible. After a few hours, again, he heard a knock at his door. Surely, this is Jesus! He hurried to open the door to find a man with worn out shoes and no coat. He quickly asked the man to enter. "Not many folks come down this road, sir, and you are not dressed for this weather at all. Please get yourself warm by the fire."
The old man stirred the fire and put another log on then checked on his soup. The man told him, he was lost and wandering when he found this little house with the smoke coming from the chimney. "I've wandered around it seems forever and I'm so cold and hungry." The little old man began to look around. He'd already given some of the bread and soup to the little girl and he was concerned he wouldn't have enough left for Jesus when He arrived for His visit.
The little old man told him, "Sir, what I've got isn't much and I'm expecting company this evening, but I'd be glad to help you with what I have." He looked about and found an old pair of boots that were worn but better than what the man had on. He looked further and found a coat, scarf, hat and gloves. These too were worn but better than nothing. The little old man gave them to the man and said, "Sir, these aren't the best in the world, but they are extra and may be of use to you." He then turned, got another bowl and served the man a bowl of soup and broke another piece of hard bread off for him to eat.
As the man ate, he explained how his old car had broken down and he'd become lost trying to figure out where he was. Soon they were sharing stories of their lives and making jokes.
Soon it was time for the man to leave. He thanked the old man for his kindness and food then the old man gave him directions to the nearest town. The man said, "I can't thank you enough. You've saved my life and made a bad situation into a joyful one by raising my spirits." The little old man chuckled and said, "Stop by any time. I don't go many places and not many folks come this way."
The man left with his used boots, coat, hat and gloves headed toward the town the old man told him about.
By this time, it was beginning to get dark. The little old man looked out his window to see if he could see Jesus. No one was in sight. He stirred the soup again, realized that he had just enough left for himself and Jesus to have supper. He read his Bible, the only companion in this home he had.
Just then, another knock at his door, surely, this was Jesus! It was almost dark but still he had enough soup for him and his wonderful Savior to eat and talk over! He quickly opened the door to find a young pregnant woman. She was cold, scared and lost. "May I come in?" she asked. "Certainly. Come in and warm yourself by the fire." She walked in and he noticed how young she was. He couldn't help but wonder why she was out on a day like this and where she'd come from.
As she warmed herself, he asked, "I don't mean to pry, but should you be out in this weather in your condition? It looks like you are soon to be a mother." She hung her head low and as a tear fell down her cheek, she said that her family had abandoned her because she was expecting and was unwed.
The old man gently took her hand and patted it. "I don't have much but a little soup and some hard bread but you're welcome to it and to warm yourself. I was hoping company would come today, but I think He must have gotten tied up and couldn't make it." She smiled weakly and gratefully took the soup and the bread. This left just enough for the old man to eat before he went to bed for the night.
Soon she began to tell him her story of how she was raised in church but had strayed from God's path. Tears quietly streamed down her cheeks. She told him, "I repented for my sins but this baby is still to be born. I know I'm forgiven and God will help me somehow. He already has by putting you in my path." She smiled weakly and he again patted her hand. "Child, God loves us all. He is always waiting for us to return to Him. I'm glad you chose to come back to the Lord. He's the best friend I have. He will always help you."
They chatted for a while and soon she arose to leave. He told her he would keep her in his prayers, to have faith, and pointed in the direction of the closest town and told her what the name of the local church was that could help. She thanked him and was gone.
By now, it was quite late. The little old man put away his Bible and as he sat eating the last of the soup and the hard bread he prayed. "Lord, I so needed to see you today. I know You have the whole world in Your hands and all the people to take care of. It's just I was so hoping to see you before the day was over."
Quietly as he ate, he heard the voice of the Lord. "My beloved child, I did come to see you today." The old man thought and he could not remember seeing Jesus appear at his door. "Lord, when did you show up today? I've been home all day and I couldn't have missed you." God said, "Do you remember the little girl so hungry and poorly dressed? Do you remember the man who was lost and needed clothes and food? Do you remember the young expecting mother who was abandoned by her family?" The little old man said, "Yes, Lord, I remember and for the first time in years there was laughter and people here with me." The Lord replied, "I was each of those people. Remember my words? Look at MATTHEW 25: 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me." The old man smiled as he realized Jesus had been with him all day that day. He thanked the Lord for His kindness and filled with joy, went to bed praising God for His love and care.
Replies
So true.