Tom, the Unhappy Boy

By Harold Smith

Tom was a bright, cheerful, happy-go-lucky type of a boy. Everybody liked Tom. He was very fond of music and he played the piano very well. But in spite of his good nature, Tom was not happy, there was something lacking in his life. The problem was, Tom wasn't saved. He'd never come to the savior to have his sins forgiven. He was restless and dissatisfied, because the Bible says, "There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked" - Isaiah 57:21. Tom was brought up in a Christian home and often heard his father praying for his boy. But Tom became more restless and decided to leave home, where nobody would speak to him about his soul, about being saved. So he went way away from home. In fact, he went way across the ocean. He thought he'd be free and happy there to get away from the influence of the Gospel. He tried to forget God and seldom read the Bible, and tried to forget all about the Gospel. But God had his eye on Tom, and Tom became sick. He was really sick, and he was glad when some Christian friends offered to help him out. They made him think of the loving Savior that he was rejecting and not receiving. One evening while he was with the Christians, he went to a Gospel meeting. And during the Gospel meeting, a man got up and read the verse, "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered" - Matthew 10:30. This really stuck with Tom. He thought, "God knows every little detail of our lives. He knows everything. He's interested in the smallest things, even the hairs falling from our heads!" This was a new thought for Tom. It was hard for him to think that God cared for him so much. He went home that night with a Christian friend and the Christian friend spoke to him much about the love of Christ and told him that he should trust Christ as his Savior, it's the only way to go, the only way to be happy. Finally, well after midnight, they got down on their knees and Tom wasn't on his knees very long when he realized what a sinner he was in the sight of God, and how the Lord loves him and died for him. He rested his soul's salvation on the finished work of Christ. When Christ laid down his life for Tom, Tom said, "That's it for me!", and he trusted Christ. He could write home and tell them that he'd found the Savior and the Savior had found him. And he went to work again, happier than he ever was before. Have you trusted Him? I hope you will, and be saved today!