The fire alarm called out the professional firefighters when an apartment house in New York began to bum … and John Herko was there too. People were trapped in the building, and Herko went in. He found Douglas Billman, a four year old, and fought his way through smoke and flame to carry the boy to safety. The fireman finished the job, but no one was happier than John Herko, who hugged the little fellow and could scarcely let him go.
Why was Douglas so precious to him? He had never seen the boy before. But in bringing him safely from the fire, John had discharged a debt he had carried for thirteen years. Thirteen years ago his son had fallen into the water, and was drowning; a woman who was near jumped in and rescued him from probable death. Now Herko says, “Ever since then I felt that I owed some child a life.”
Not everyone feels such a sense of obligation. Some accept deliverance as a matter of course; and if they should do a big favour for someone else, they take much credit to themselves. This is especially true in spiritual matters. Heow many Christians feel an obligation to witness for the Lord, and seek to introduce others to the Lord Jesus?
Paul said, “I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise” (Romans 1:14). What made Paul a debtor to all the people? I twas, first of all, the fact of his own salvation. Christ had sought him out on the road to Damascus; but the salvation which Paul experienced there was for all men, not just for him and a chosen few. People in every nation had a right to know about it. Second, it was because the Lord saved Paul for that purpose (Acts 26: 14-18). Third, the love of Christ drove Paul on to tell others everywhere about the Saviour (2 Corinthians 5: 14-20).
Did Paul’s experience differ from yours? In detail, no doubt it did; but we are all debtors in the same sense that Paul was. We are “Saved, saved to tell others of the Man of Galilee.”
Someone came to tell you of Calvary and the way of life. Someone made an effort to introduce you to the Saviour. Don’t you feel a sense of obligation because of that? If all Christians felt like John Herko, if we were all willing to brave danger and go to real trouble to help another soul because we and our friends were helped, thing what an impetus it would bring into the work of the churches! Take the burden of debt upon you; watch for the chance to pass on the blessing you have received. God will guide you to some soul and teach you what to say to win that soul.
If I can win some precious soul to Christ, And know that when I leave, he’ll carry on, And maybe win some other to his Lord To carry high the torch when he is gone; some shall stop me in the Glory/and, And say, “I’m here because one day you came To tell me of the Saviours matchless love, ” Then I can know I have not lived in vain.