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T H E - K I N G ’ S BUSINESS
March, 1942
"I’ve noticed you out here before/* she continued cheerfully. “My name is Ethel Main. Might I ask yours?’’ ‘ | “Castell, Bill Casteli.” • "Castell? The Bill Castell? I thought I recognized your face! I’ve seen your pictures many times, of course. You’re my kid brother’s ideal. Your—your Christian testimony has meant much Jn his life, too.” "Oh.” In spite of himself, a note of pleasure crept into Bill’s voice. "He misses yo.u on the sports pages. You’d have been on the track team this year, wouldn’t,you?” . ' . “Ye.ah,” he answered shortly, grit ting his teeth. “I would have been.’’ - ."I’m sorry,” she said quickly.; “ It isn’t always easy to understand the held things that come to us. But ‘all things work together for good to them that love God,” ’ she quoted softly. “Who are we to doubt God? Isn’t that the way you feel?” : Bill remained silent. His heart had lifted a bit to know that here was another Christian—another who spoke the same language. But all the same he didn’t quite agree with her now. He believed the Bible all right, but it was one thing to quote Romans ,8:28 when you were well or soon would be well, and quite another when you’d never be more than a useless burden. What ■ possible good could’ come out of his illness, for him or any One else! "I don’t know just why it is, but it seems to rné that a sick Christian is closer to God than any other Christian càn be,” .Ethel continued, ignoring his silencé. Bill hadn’t thought of that before. He stirred uneasily. “I guess a fellow càn say that, if he knows he’ll soon be well again-—sort of keep himself opti mistic, but,” he looked bitterly at his useless feet, “ when you’re down for the count of ten,’ you’re out.” “Oh, no! Ycfli’re never out with God,” she interrupted quickly, “It is our spiritual nature, not our body, .that is the most important to Him.” “I guess so. But it’s no fun having a body that’s left worthless, as far as ever doing anything is concerned. I’ll probably never earn a penny the rest of my life—just be a useless cripple.” Her rebuttal was swift and decided. “Oh, you’ve got thè wrong attitude altogether! I felt that way, too, When—” her voice faltered but she vent on, “when ■ I first learned of my illness. But thè Lord opened my eyes and showed me a way I -could do something for Him—big business for the Lord. I try to be'modest, but really, since I’ve been ill, I’ve gotten a job that pays bigger dividends than any thing I might have done with a healthy body.” . ,, . “What do you mean?” Bill’s eyes widened. She had his full atténtion now, and he was awed at the expres
“But I’ve wanted to do so much more. . .” Ethel began eagerly, but; broke off quickly. Her face lighted. “Oh, here’s Mother.” After the intro ductions, she turned to Bill again. “I’ll tell you more about the big- busi ness plans tomorrow. Mother and-1 get to have such a little time together . . .’’.she laughed a little shakily, But three days passed before Bill saw Ethel again, days in which he had ample time to weigh the message she had left with' him. The words, "and I know that praying for these -is the greatest work .1 can do,” rang in his mind, over and over. Gradually, unconsciously, the band of bitterness, around his heart began to melt be fore the realization of the Lord’s good ness. And, at last, he came to the place where he' could look at his shrunken, impotent feet, and feel no protest at all. Who was he to question God’s plan for him? He watched eagerly for Ethel. He wanted to hear more of her plan. On the third afternoon,: Ethel’s chair was already in its place-on the sun porch When Bill reached there. She smiled in answer to his greeting and opened her notebook. But Bill’s easy greeting almost failed him when he saw the pronounced pallor of her face and the strange, new light in her eyes. They plunged immediately into dis cussion of the plans Ethel had made. “ I’ve wanted to organize a club of fellow invalids, maybe publish a little mimeographed magazine and try to encourage other Christians With limit ed physical strength to take new cour age and get into the biggest business in the World. But—” for the first time her smile f.ailed her, “I won’t be able to, Unless God wills differently. I was wondering,” the smile peeped back again, “would you like to.be the first to join, and then there will be some one to carry on.” “Would I? I’ve been thinking about what you told me—these three days I haven’t seen' you. And I’m beginning to see, for the first time, why God per mitted this to come into ray. life, He’s getting me ready for big business! And I think I can quote Romans 8:28 now and really mean it!” "You. can’t know what good hews that is to nie, both for what it will mean to you and for what is means to me to know the work God gave me will go on.” They talked and ’planned for an other half hour, ’ all the time with Ethel lightly implying that the weight of organization was to fall on Bill’s shoulders. He wondered at this, and several times started to aslc about it. As the hurse approached to wheel Ethel back to her room, Bill dared to ask, “Why is it you talk- of not being [Continued on Page 116]
sion on her face. Thinking of it later, he described it as a bit of heaven’s glory mirrored^in her smile. “Why, I’m on the office' force of heaven,” she exclaimed joyfully. “Heaven ? How—how do you mean?” “r became, very bitter when I learned that I never would live a normal life again, that I would be ill the rest of my life—a brief life at best. But one day, before I came to the hospital, I -was reading my Bible, My bitterness had not' destroyed my love for the Word. Suddenly, I came to the ■words of the Lord Jesus Christ, ‘Lay not up for yourselves treasures Upon earth, where moth and rust doth cor rupt, and where thieves break through and steal.’ That was as far as I could read,” Her voice took, on a new note of reverence. “It was as though God had spoken frbm heaven. He was tell ing me. that laying up great accom plishments on earth during a long life, while making little or no prepa ration, for eternity, was a much greater tragedy than having just a few months to live, if during those months much time, was spent in laying up treasures Ih heaven. I dared to argue with God at first! I reasoned that He should heal me so that I could be come a missionary and devote my .en tire life to proclaiming the gospel. I wahted to do His work- my-way. Then the Lord showed me that there were certain things more important than anything, else to .be done, and that I could do them even though I was ill.”
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