INVESTING IN A BANK THAT CANNOT FAIL – Hudson Taylor.
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbour,
‘Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you’–
when you already have it with you. Proverbs 3
I had an experience in a European city a few years ago when I passed a man sitting in the street begging for money. I gave him some change, a small amount, from my pocket and walked on. But I felt convicted at my giving and returned and gave him some more and he gave me a lovely smile(could he have been an angel?) To be honest, I don’t think I gave him enough the second time either, but the moment passed and was gone. Roman proverb, ‘Carpe Diem – seize the day or in my case, SEIZE THE MOMENT’.
Hudson Taylor was the founder of the China Inland Mission CIM 25 June 1865. He had decided to build his faith by going directly to God for all his needs while still living at home. His kindly employer had forgotten to pay him and he was left with one half crown (1/8 of £1) coin in his pocket and one dish of porridge at his lodging.
‘That Sunday was a very happy one…After attending Divine service in the morning, my afternoons and evenings were filled with Gospel work, in the various lodging-houses I was accustomed to visit in the lowest part of the town…
After concluding my last service about ten o’clock that night, a poor man asked me to go and pray with his wife, saying that she was dying. I readily agreed, and on the way to his house asked him why he had not sent for the priest, as his accent told me he was an Irishman. He had done so, he said, but the priest refused to come without a payment of eighteen pence (Religion loves money, Jesus cleared His Father’s House of money changers John 2) which the man did not possess, as the family was starving.’ Hudson Taylor
He went to the man’s house and saw a terrible situation, 4 or 5 small children starving and a sick woman with a very small baby, all in great need. Her husband pleaded with Taylor to help them if he could and a great internal struggle arose over his single half crown piece. He said inwardly that he would gladly have given, a part of the money but God had arranged it so that it was all or nothing! He was brought to the ‘moment of decision’, what would he do?
“You asked me to come and pray with your wife,” I said to the man, “let us pray.” And I knelt down.
But scarcely had I opened my lips with “Our Father who art in heaven” than conscience said within, “Dare you mock God? Dare you kneel down and call Him Father with that half-crown in your pocket?”
Such a time of conflict came upon me then as I have never experienced before or since. Hudson Taylor
At length Taylor gave the half crown to the needy family, the money they so desperately needed and all he had. Joy returned at once and all feelings of hypocrisy were gone.
‘Not only was the poor woman’s life saved, but I realised that my life was saved too! It might have been a wreck, would have been a wreck probably, as a Christian life, had not grace AT THAT TIME CONQUERED, and the striving of God’s Spirit been obeyed’. Hudson Taylor
He received a gift of four times more next day by post!
lexloiz.wordpress.com link to the story of Hudson Taylor
God bless and give us grace today to surrender what He asks of us.