| Devotional Hours with the Bible |
Chapter 20 |
Page 5 |
The papers recently told the story of the way a young man gave himself. He was poor, but had a great desire to be a gentleman, then to become a lawyer. He saved enough money from his earnings and his economy to carry him through college. His first year he made a friend, a young man, brilliant, and noble as well. The two were roommates and became devoted to each other, in spite of their differences. During the first summer vacation the father of the well-to-do boy dies and he then had no money to continue his course. He wrote to his friend and told him he could not return to college, that he must abandon his dream of education and go to work.
The friend after a short time wrote to him in this way:
You have a fine capacity and will make a useful man if you have education. I have found out that I would be only a fourth-rate lawyer at best. It will be far better for you to be educated than for me. I have money enough saved to carry me through college. You must take my money and complete your course. I enclose a draft for the amount. I will drop out of sight altogether and lose myself. Do not try to find me — it will be of no use. Do not refuse the money — you never can return it to me.”
This is what Christ spoke of when he advocated the “hating” of one’s life. This is self-denial of the noblest kind.
Page 5