Do You Have A Faithful Friend?

Good News – May 2022 – Grace & Truth Magazine

Do You Have A Faithful Friend?

There was once a farmer who had a very useful dog. But when the dog grew old, his ungrateful master decided to get rid of him by drowning.

Man’s Plan
He took the dog to a river near his farm and rowed the dog to the middle of it. He tied a heavy stone to the dog’s neck with an old rope. When they reached the deepest part of the river, he threw the dog into the water.

The poor dog sank until the rope broke. Then he came right back up with a whine, and swam to the boat. But each time he tried to climb in, his cruel master pushed him off with an oar.

At last the heartless farmer stood up and lifted the oar over his head. “One good whack will sink him for sure,” he thought. As he swung, he lost his balance and fell in to the water.

Man’s Problem
The farmer couldn’t swim! He was drowning! But the noble dog saw his master in need, went to him, caught hold of his jacket and pulled him to safety. In spite of the cruel treatment just received, this faithful friend saved the cruel man’s life.

Anyone who treats a good dog like this deserves punishment. Don’t you agree?

God’s Plan
But wait a minute! Aren’t we more guilty than this farmer? Let’s go back to when Jesus, the Son of God, came into this world with nothing but love and blessing for poor, sinful man. He went about healing the sick, raising the dead, feeding the hungry, and bringing joy to the sad.

He was the most Faithful Friend man ever had. But men shouted, “Away with Him!” and nailed Him to a cross. How wicked is man’s heart? The Bible says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9). We’ll take God’s blessing as long as it suits us, but get rid of Him as soon as we no longer need Him.

God’s Provision
When we look at our Faithful Friend on the cross we see God’s love – not a word spoken nor a finger raised against us in judgment. “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (Jn. 3:17). Jesus sacrificed Himself for sinners, showing nothing but loving-kindness to His enemies.

He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Lk. 23:34). Like that river, the cross was the place where men tried to get rid of Him. But because of His death, grace still flows out from Jesus to all who repent, confess their sins, and trust Him as their Savior.

The faithful dog of our story saved his master’s life, giving him a few more years to live. Jesus saves not only for a short time, but He gives eternal life to all who believe.

Your Move
If you don’t know Jesus as your Savior, we urge you to let Him save you by grace right now. Later, when He comes in judgment, His anger will be “burning like an oven” (Mal. 4:1), and then you’ll be in real trouble! Won’t you let your Faithful Friend save you now? We can tell you how.

A variation of this article is available as a gospel tract from Grace &Truth.