A Little Parable by Mrs. L. L. Lansing

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Sep 22, 1909

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 36, No. 37.

A Little Parable

By Mrs. L. L. Lansing

SOMETIMES we are filled with doubts as to the possibility of God’s seeing and protecting us. Sometimes we wonder how a God of love could permit His children to go on in sin, and then when they refuse to accept of salvation and be saved, destroy them. Let us illustrate with a little parable, which will make it clearer to us.

Suppose you have a child whom you dearly love, whom you are anxious to see enjoy itself and be happy. You would give your life to save it from harm or death. The night is dark, and the child is playing near a fire quite a distance from you. It is having a fine time in the light of the fire. You can see it, but the child can not see you. However, it can hear your voice from time to time, telling it of its danger. It loves the light and plays nearer and still nearer the fire. Continually your watchful eye is over it, and your warning voice calls to it. Absorbed in its own pleasure, it heeds you not. Soon it gets so near the fire that you are agonized with fear; you rush forward to save it, but you are too late. It falls into the fire and is terribly burned. Your heart is wrung with anguish; you would willingly give all to save it, but you can not.

So God calls to the sinner from His dwelling-place on high. We can not see Him, but He can see us. His watchful eye is over us, and He calls us to turn from this world’s pleasures. He pleads, “Come unto Me and be saved, all ye ends of the earth.” “Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die!” He delights not in the death of any.

But the sinner loves the glare and glamour of this life; he loves the things he can handle, things he can see with the natural eye; but he cares nothing for things which are spiritually discerned. He likes to stay in the light of the sparks of his own kindling. He will not heed the Saviour’s voice when He says, “All day long have I stretched out My hands to a wicked and gainsaying people.” So the poor, deluded soul rushes headlong into the flames which will surely consume him.

The Saviour invites all to come and be saved from the dreadful death. “The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

Mrs. L. L. Lansing.