The Children’s Friend

For three years Jesus walked from town to town, teaching the people and curing all the sick. He was thirty years old when He left His home in Nazareth, gave up His carpenter’s trade and said good-bye to His dear Mother. Not that He did not often see her after that, for whenever He passed that way, He always went to her, and she often followed Him on His journeys. St. Joseph had died some time before. It was scarcely like dying to have Jesus and Mary at his bedside. But it was hard for Jesus to leave His Mother all alone. Still He had other work to do—He had the world to save. So He gathered about Him a number of poor men, mostly ignorant fishermen,—Peter and his brother Andrew, John and his brother James and eight others. These men left their trades and their homes, happy to be with Jesus day and night. Who would not be? They saw the wonderful things He did and listened to His words, and they fell so deeply in love with Him that they were ready to die for His sake, all of them but one. Jesus spent many long hours teaching them so that they would be able to go into the cities and preach in His place. These twelve men were called His Apostles.

Shall we follow Jesus again and see what He does? It is the Sabbath-day and He is just going into the synagogue or Jewish church. The place is crowded to the doors and all have heard of His wonderful deeds. Jesus walks into their midst and takes the speaker’s chair. There is not a sound as He raises His voice. They hold their breath and lean forward to catch every word.

A poor man has pushed his way in and for a while he, too, is spellbound. Suddenly there is a terrific scream and a devil inside the man cries out: “Let us alone; what have we to do with Thee, Jesus of Nazareth? Art Thou come to destroy us? I know Thee, who Thou art, the Holy One of God.” (Luke 4:34.) At once Jesus stands over the man and says to the devil who has long tortured him: “Hold thy peace, and go out of him.” (35.) One last cry breaks out and the devil, throwing the man on the floor, flees. The man gets up unhurt and perfectly cured.

The people are frightened and talk among themselves and ask how it is that the devil obeys the least word from Christ.

And now Jesus is leaving the synagogue and is on His way to Peter’s house, for the mother of Peter’s wife is very sick with a fever. They do not think she can live, and the house is filled with friends. They make room for Jesus and He goes up to the bed and takes the poor old woman’s bony hand in His and at once the fever leaves and she gets up strong and well and prepares dinner for Jesus and His friends.

The news of these things quickly spreads through the town. It is evening, the sun is just setting, and the people are coming from all directions to Peter’s house. The crowd outside the door is growing bigger and bigger. The whole space in front of the house is covered with the deaf and dumb, the blind, the lame, the paralyzed, those suffering from any kind of disease, even those possessed by devils. They are calling now for Jesus of Nazareth. They beg Him to come out and cure them.

At last the door opens and Jesus stands on the threshold in the golden light of the sunset. He looks for a moment over that great crowd waiting in silence now, and His heart is touched and His eyes fill with tears as He sees their sufferings. Then He steps down among them, speaking words of comfort, laying His sacred hands on their poor bodies until far into the night. Indeed, morning is breaking over the hills when He sends the last one home, happy and well.

Without a moment’s rest, Jesus passes alone down the empty streets of the sleeping town, then out through the fields wet with dew, until He comes to a desert place where He can pray in quiet.

But the people wake up and hurry to Peter’s house, looking for Jesus. When they find He is not there, they scatter and search for Him everywhere. Peter knows how Jesus loves to get away from the city’s noise and spend hours praying in some lonely spot. Ah! here he comes. He has caught sight of the kneeling Figure he loves, and hurries up to tell Jesus that every one is looking for Him. But Jesus tells him that He must go on to other cities, so that their people may hear Him, too. Oh, dear! here’s the crowd already. They were right on Peter’s heels, and now they surround Jesus and beg Him to stay with them. But He tells them that He can not do so, for He must be about His Father’s business.

Again it is early morning, and Jesus stands on the shore of the lake watching the Apostles wash their nets, for they have been out on the water all night without catching a single fish. And here is a crowd, too, come to hear Jesus speak. And He steps into Peter’s boat and tells them to pull out a little from the shore, and then He talks to the people.

When He has finished, He says to Peter: “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.” (Luke 5:4.) And he answers: “Master, we have labored all the night, and have taken nothing: but at Thy word, I will let down the net.” (Verse 5.) There! the net is slipping into the water, but see it strain and pull. Peter grabs it and feels how heavy it is. Why, it is bursting with fish and he can not draw it up. Hear him calling to his partners in the other boat. He is asking them to come and help. Here they are, all excited, for they have caught nothing. Now they pull together with all their strength. The net is breaking, but they land it and fill both their boats with the fish.

They are struck with fear and wonder at the power of Jesus, and Peter falls on his knees before Him.

And now Jesus is just going into that little town and here comes a poor man. He falls at Jesus’ feet, crying: “Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean.” (Luke 5:12.) How dares he come close to Jesus, for he is a leper and his body is covered with sores? Leprosy is the most awful disease he can have. It begins with the hands and feet and spreads over the whole body, which, little by little, falls to pieces. No sooner is a man or woman found to have it than he is torn from his family and thrown out into the wilderness to suffer and die alone. And the law forbids the lepers to enter the gates of any city. They must not even drink the water of the streams flowing into the towns, and when they see anyone coming near them they must warn him from the distance by crying out: “Unclean! Unclean!”

How has this leper dared to break the law? How can he have heard of Jesus? Yet there he is, risking all, for he is certain that Christ can cure him. At once Jesus puts His hands on his ugly sores and says: “I will. Be thou cleansed.” (Luke 5:13.) Immediately the leprosy leaves, the diseased body is sound and well, the flush of health is in his face, and he gets up, no longer an outcast, but able to go back to the home he thought he would never see again, able to go where he will and to live once more among his friends.

And now look over there. Jesus is climbing a steep hill up to the little city of Naim. Through the gates of the town a funeral procession is just passing and coming towards Him. Hear the shrill notes of the flute-players who lead the way. Just behind are the relatives carrying the dead body of a young man wrapped in perfumes and linens. See the poor mother! She is crying bitterly, for she is a widow and the young man was her only son. The mourners are wild with grief, wailing and moaning and striking their breasts. The sad sight touches the heart of Jesus, and going up to the poor mother, He says: “Weep not!” (Luke 7:13.)

The procession stops, the flute-players are still and the women hush their sobs. Jesus stands by the side of the body and in the silence His voice rings out: “Young man, I say to thee, arise!” (Verse 14.) And he that was dead sits up and begins to talk, and Jesus passes on, leaving them in fear and joy and crying out: “A great prophet is risen up among us: and God hath visited His people.” (Verse 16.)

Once more Jesus is surrounded by a crowd. They have been asking Him questions, and now He is watching a group of women bringing their children for Him to bless. The Apostles are angry when they see them, for they do not want to be interrupted, and they turn to the women and tell them to take their babies home and not to bother the Master. But Jesus hears them and will not let them send the children away, for He loves them especially, and He says to the Apostles: “Suffer the little children, and forbid them not to come to Me: for the Kingdom of Heaven is for such.” (Matt. 19:14.) Taking the children in His arms, He blesses them whilst the Apostles are surprised to see Him show them such love. Then Jesus passes on to bless and cure others who do not know Him yet.