The Crumpled Letter

“How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” — from Luke 11

When John went on board his ship in New York, a letter was waiting for him. It was from a friend of his father, an older Christian who had once wanted to be a missionary himself but had not been able to go.

The letter was short. It said something like this: “I shall not cease praying for you, dear John, until you are filled with the Holy Spirit.”

John was angry! Did this man think he was not ready? He was going to be a great missionary! He crumpled up the letter, threw it away, and went up on deck feeling very cross.

But as he walked up and down, deep in his heart he knew the man was right. John’s father’s friend was a good and holy man. So John went back, got down on his knees, found the crumpled letter, smoothed it out, and read it again. And again.

For two or three days John felt miserable. At last he asked God to fill him with the Holy Spirit. Then he began to see that he had wanted to be a missionary mostly so that people would admire him. He told God he was willing to fail his exams in India, and to work “quietly out of sight,” if only God would fill him with his Spirit.

John told this story to his friends more than once, and some of the little details are not quite the same each time. But the important part is always the same: John stopped being proud, and asked God for help.

Sometimes a person who loves you says something you don’t want to hear. It is easy to get cross. But it is wise to stop, think, and ask God whether they might be right.

Dear God, when someone who loves me tells me something hard, help me to listen and not to be proud. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit. Amen.