“Not For Me”

“Without money, and without price!” Such are the terms on which God presents eternal life to sinners. Wonderful message of love! Yet also amazing is how few will take it on these terms. The following incident will illustrate what I say. As it belongs to the day of the horse-drawn cart, needless to say, it wasn’t yesterday.

A friend of the poor often ordered a quarter of a ton of coal to be taken to persons whom he knew to be in distress. One winter the weather was very severe, the snow lying thick on the ground, and the kind man rejoiced to think what comfort his gift would bring to many poor homes. The coal cart drew up opposite a desolate-looking cottage, the coalman knocked on the door and told the old man within that he had brought him some coals. “Who from?” asked the occupant.

“Don’t know, but I was told to bring ‘em, and here they are.”

“It’s a mistake, they’re not for me,” was the reply. “I’ve no friend to send me coals for nothing.”

“Well, they’re for the man as lives at the dyke. Isn’t that you?”

“That’s me, sure enough; but maybe there’s a mistake; it’ll be some other dyke.”

“Nonsense, man; take ‘em and be thankful. I can’t stand here all day talking!”

“Go away then, they’re not for me, and I won’t have anything to do with them.” And at that he banged the door shut and returned to his desolate hearth. The cart rolled away with the gift undelivered.

The next day the same cart and driver drew up at another poor dwelling in a different quarter. “Some coals for you,” announced the man cheerfully. “Where shall I put ‘em?”

‘They’re not for me,” declared the thin, poor-looking householder. “You’ve made a mistake.”

“No mistake. See, here’s the order: No. 24, quarter ton. That’s clear, isn’t it?”

“That’s my number, but I ordered no coals, and I can’t take them in.”

“Well,” said the man with the coals, scratching his head with a puzzled look, “these coals beat me; they’re more trouble than enough. One would think I was bringing you poison. Here comes a nice present, and you refuse to take it But leave ‘em I shall, for yesterday I took them away from a home and got into trouble for it. So, if you don’t open your cellar door, I shall chuck ‘em down here by your doorstep.”

Thus pressed, the man did open his cellar, but he still was not satisfied. “You’ll soon be back for them, I guess, so I won’t set too much store by them. But, if they are for me, I’m sure I’m much obliged.”

One more house in that court did the coalman visit. A woman opened to his knock. “For me? oh, it can’t be true, they must be for someone else.”

“No, No. 8, quarter of a ton of coals. That’s on my line.”

“Why, so it is. Well then, I suppose God has sent them, for no one else knows that the last bit of coal is on the fire now, and I have no money for more. Bring them in; it must be God who has sent them, and I must thank Him.”

To himself the coalman said, “She’s the only sensible one of the lot; the rest are fools for their pains.”

“Fools for their pains”! How many such fools there are in the world! “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Yet though God presents this gift to each one who hears His Word, people too often act like these poor people with the coals. Some, like the old man, refuse it altogether. “It’s not for me; take it elsewhere,” and they send away the messenger who brings the good news. Others, like the man at No. 24, are afraid to take the gift, and only after much persuasion and many invitations are they persuaded that the good tidings are really for them.

But again, some, like the woman who had come to the end of her coals, having found out their need, receive by grace the gift of eternal life with gratitude to the Giver. At first it seemed too good to be true, but when she saw the order with her own number, she believed and rejoiced. So, when a poor, needy sinner reads, “Whosoever will,” and again, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,” by grace, he hesitates no longer. That word “sinner” includes him, therefore, taking God at His word, he receives Christ, God’s unspeakable gift and all the blessing that is in Him.

The coals were paid for by the benevolent donor: so salvation has been bought at the cost of the precious blood of the Son of God who gave Himself a ransom for many. Reader, have you received this free gift by grace, and if so, are you showing your gratitude by a life spent for the One who died on Calvary?

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