Debit and Credit

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 5, 1910

A LAD named Sydney, who had reached the age of ten, overheard a conversation about certain bills which had to be paid, and conceived the idea of making out a bill for what he himself had done. The next morning he quietly laid on his mother’s plate at breakfast the following statement: “Mother owes Sydney: For getting coals six times, 6d. For fetching logs lots of times, 6d. For going errands twice, 4d. For being a good boy, 2d. Total, 1s. 6d.”

His mother read the bill, but said nothing. That evening Sydney found it lying on his own plate, with the 1s. 6d. as payment; but accompanying it was another bill, which read as follows: “Sydney owes mother: For his happy home for ten years, nothing. For his food, nothing. For nursing him through illness, nothing. For being good to him, nothing. Total, nothing.” When the lad had looked at this, his eyes were dim, and his lips quivering.

Presently he took the 1s. 6d. out of his pocket, and rushing to his mother, flung his arms round her neck, and exclaimed: “Mother, dear! I was a mean wretch! Please forgive me, and let me do lots of things for you still!”

Jesus Christ has done everything for us; are we doing all we can for him? What he most wants us to do is to let others know that he died to save them.—Daily Bible.