Once in a town there were two builders, each busily engaged upon a large house. One morning there came to one of these builders a very strange man. To look at him, you would think he was young, and yet there was something about him that testified of many years and of great experience. He offered the builder his aid for the day, promising to help him in any way the builder might ask, as well as in a thousand ways the builder could not imagine beforehand.
This builder, however, thought he needed no help, but could do everything with his own unaided hands and brain, so he sternly refused the stranger, who set off at once to see the other builder. By this builder he was gladly accepted, and straightway went to work.
The stranger seemed to be in all parts of the building at once. Now he was assisting to push a cross-cut saw, now he was directing a workman with his hammer and nails, now he was helping to pull on a lever, now he was aiding to mix the mortar just right. Again, he assisted the builder in his planning, or helped the brick-carriers at their heavy task, or was on the wall making a hand with the bricklayers. And through it all, wherever the stranger went, the men fell of their own accord to singing, until the spirit of cheeriness and earnestness had seized every one, and by the end of the day this house was twice as far along as that of the builder that had refused the stranger’s aid.
In some such way as this, children, Christ is willing to come to us every morning and help us in our day’s work. Not that with hands and muscles like ours he will take hold of our tasks with us, but just as really as this mysterious stranger did, he can assist us in all we do. He can clear our brains so that we can plan to do our work better, he can give us quicker hands and stronger arms, and, best of all, he can give us clear consciences and happy hearts which will assist us in our work. All this he will do if we earnestly ask him. Has he ever thus come to you?