Years ago a hardened old slave was being sold at an auction. He was a powerful-looking fellow, and as values were, he was worth quite a sum. The bids were rising, but the old man, his hands rough, his back scarred, looked around savagely, calling out, “I won’t work! I won’t work!” In spite of his protests, however, the bids rose higher, and a last a kindly faced gentleman offered a price far above what was considered his value, and the old slave was sold. Driving away with his new master, he was sullen, but determined.
At last they reached the homestead, and the master pointed across to the servant’s quarters. But the only reply was, “I won’t work. You can thrash me, but I won’t work.” Quietly the two stepped into a neatly arranged room.
The master said, “Well, Sam, here’s where you’ll live.” To which the old man made the same answer. “Well, we shall talk about that later,” said the owner. “But you do know that I bought you, and I paid a high price for you, didn’t I?”
“Yes, but I won’t work.”
“No, I know you won’t, and you’ll never have to. Sam, I bought you to set you free. You now have your liberty.”
Free! Liberty! The two men looked at each other, then all at once hot tears began to course down those rough black cheeks, and then, falling on his knees, the old man cried out, “Oh, sir, I am your slave forever.” His freedom became the opportunity to prove his love for one who had done so much for him.
We have all been slaves – slaves to self-will, to passion, to sin. But we have been redeemed, purchased by a price far greater than rubies.
By R. Allan Anderson, Signs of the Times, January 7, 1941. With permission from Dale Galusha dalgal@pacificpress.com