Service to Man is Service to God
Service to Man is Service to God
Martin was a cobbler, who went to sleep with the Bible upon his chest and with the following words of Christ in his mind, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him, and he with Me.”
“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His Throne.”
The Lord appeared to him in his sleep that night and promised to visit him the next day. So, finishing his ablutions early and doubling his day’s meal and tea on the stove, he watched for the Lord’s arrival with welcome arch hung in his eyes.
While it had been snowing still, the first man that met his sight was the municipal caretaker of the streets. He had to finish his work before the people woke up and opened their doors. The irony that struck Martin’s mind was that the old man was freezing outside in the snow, to help to warm the doorsteps and window-sills of those, who had kept themselves warm around the fireplaces beside them. The people inside were tucked up in their woollens, while this old man outside was shivering in the cold.
Martin called him in for a respite, gave him his own quota of tea and let him warm himself at the stove. He thanked him and went.
The next person he found at his door was an old woman, who had been so hungry and cold that she could not take a step forward. He called her in, gave her his rug to warm herself, and fed her with his quota of the meal. She took leave after blessing him.
Next, he saw a poor mother passing that way with the baby crying of hunger. He called her in, fed her with the Lord’s quota of the meal, and suckled her baby with the Lord’s quota of milk. He presented her with his late wife’s dress. She, too, took leave with gratitude.
It was too late to expect the Lord for the day, as the sun was setting already. He sank down into his seat filled with mixed feelings of disappointment and sorrow. Supposing the Lord came then, what treat should he give Him? He had no more meal or milk in store. As that idea pained him much, a darkness overwhelmed his mind. But, as night fell and the darkness overwhelmed the world, he heard a footstep in the hut and saw a strange light lighting the inside of it. As he had not yet lighted the lamp, he was surprised.
In that light, there appeared to him the old shivering caretaker. He passed away thanking him. Next appeared the old woman, but she, too, passed away blessing him. Lastly appeared the starved mother with her starving baby! They, too, passed away. And who was that?!!!! It was none of them! It was the Lord Himself! He testified that it was He, he treated “I, it was I!” He blessed him and embraced him from that distance and vanished.
Questions :
- What kind of a man was Martin?
- What did the Lord say to him in sleep?
- How did he help the caretaker?
- Whom did Martin meet next?
- What do you learn from the story?
[Source – Stories for Children – II, Published by – Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publications Trust, Prashanti Nilayam]