Whiter than snow (session 4)

Wider than snow, oh yes, where did we finish? Oh, the horse. How cruel could someone be? Like Annette. You remember how Annette wanted to get her own back on Lucien because of the accident that he had caused? Her little brother Danny was so crippled as a result.

He had carved that beautiful horse, she smashed it up at the end of the summer, knowing it was for the school competition. And when the children went back to school, everybody in the class found out about the accident and nobody wanted to be friends with Lucien. He was shunned.

Everybody avoided him. He was really upset. He was greatly disappointed that the horse had been smashed.

He wanted to show the other children he could do something. He could carve like no other boy could in the class. He was sure Annette had broken, but he had no proof.

Lucien was miserable, but so was Annette. She held in her wicked heart this secret. She hated him more than ever because of the accident.

It seemed that neither of them were very happy children at all. That's what sin does, boys and girls. Sin makes us unhappy.

Sin spoils our lives. It's so much better when our sins are forgiven and when with the Saviour's help day by day, we live happy, fulfilled, purposeful lives. Well, one of the things Lucien did, as I say, was this carving.

He was really good at carving with a penknife, whittling as they call it. And some days he would walk higher and higher in the mountain. He had no friends to play with and he would just carve.

One day he was busy carving when he heard a pleasant voice behind him. That's a good job, son. You're good at that carving.

Lucien turned. At first he was afraid. He realized he must have wandered way up the mountain.

The children spoke about a man who was weird and lived alone. And this was the first time Lucien had met him. The man's eyes seemed so kind.

Now, do remember this story is about 70, 80 years ago. What he does next, you should never do. This man was a complete stranger and he invited Lucien because he could carve as well, for him to come and look at his carvings.

Different time all those years ago. A stranger asked you to go to their home. Never go to their home.

When they got to the man's house, it was just like this. A little wooden chalet. You would call it probably over here a log cabin.

They call it a chalet. He had a few chickens and a cat and a goat. And when they went inside, Lucien was surprised that living on his own, how neat and tidy it was.

Then he began to look around. Wow, thought Lucien. He can carve.

He can really carve. He could carve animals. The big St. Bernard famous Swiss dog.

He could carve little gnomes and squirrels. He particularly caught his eye with a box. It was like a treasure box.

There were flowers carved out of wood and engraved on the side and it made him remember the flowers he'd snatched from little Danny and stomped on. The man noticed how his faith kind of went all sad. It's all right son, he said.

For one day you'll be able to carve as good as me and you'll be able to give it to a friend. He spoke to the old man. But I don't have a friend.

Not one? No sir, I don't have one friend. Why? You must be lonely. Do you want to tell me why? Lucien had been longing to tell someone, not having a father of his own to talk to, and he just poured it out.

He told the man everything about his wicked heart, the accident, the hatred he had for Annette, her hatred for him. It all came out. The old man looked at the boy.

You're too young to have no friends. You're too young to be so unhappy. Listen, I'm lonely up here but I'm happy.

And there was a kind of a question mark look on Lucien's face and the old man knew he was curious. You want to know why I'm happy don't you? Lucien nodded. Well it's like this he said.

I have the Lord Jesus living in my life. He's cleansed me from all my sin. My heart is whiter than the fresh snow that lies on this mountain.

I'm lonely because of my sin but I'm happy because I'm saved. Are you saved Lucien? Lucien shook his head. Listen son, you've shared everything with me.

You trusted me. Can I trust you to keep a secret? You trust me said Lucien? Yes I do. You promise you'll never tell unless you really have to? I promise said Lucien, I promise.

I never tell anybody. Well said the man. When I grew up I was a spoiled child.

Everything went well. I married a lovely girl and we got married. I had a good job in the bank and we had two boys and everything was just great.

Until I started to have a real bad habit of drinking and gambling. My poor wife she was finding it hard to make ends meet. We didn't seem to have much money.

So I started to steal things. Because of my drinking I lost my job in the bank. My poor wife she tried to work as well to help my boys get food.

I just seemed to get from bad to worse. I ended up robbing the bank that I worked in. I was caught and I ended up in prison.

Whenever my wife visited me she pleaded with me. You need to trust the Lord Jesus. You see my wife had become a Christian.

My wife believed on the Son of God. She told me that if I would confess my sin that I was a sinner, confess to him that I was truly guilty and believe that he died for me, my heart could be made whiter than snow. Because Jesus had shed his blood on the cross and his blood could cleanse my heart whiter than snow.

But I wouldn't listen to her. Until sadly just after I got out of jail I attended my wife's funeral. Then when I had reached rock bottom I realized how wrong I was, how wrong I had been.

There was a time when I knelt down. I believed on the Lord Jesus. I thanked God that he sent his son to die for me.

He saved me and he cleansed me. My heart's whiter than snow Lucy. That's my secret.

But there's just one more bit. Those two boys, they thought their father had died. And when I got saved they were saying with their grandparents, both my boys had trusted the Lord Jesus too and my parents were bringing them up as lovely Christians.

And I didn't think I had done a very good job and I decided to keep it a secret that I was out of jail. They don't even know that I'm alive Lucy. But here's the best part of my secret.

The two boys have two jobs. One of them's a businessman, the other is a very clever doctor and he helps those who can't walk, who are crippled to walk. And he is staying in a hotel right in our village.

I had crept to the edge of the village last night and I saw him walk by. I haven't seen him for years, a fine handsome boy. I'm proud of him Lucian.

But you must never tell him that I live here. Only the man in the store knows that I live on the mountain. Nobody else knows.

Only you now. I sell a few of my carvings. I have enough to get by.

Nobody knows. I know you'll keep your secret. They turned to go for Lucian to go home.

He came over to the door. The old man stood by. Lucian, you trusted me and I trusted you.

Lucian, couldn't you trust the Lord Jesus? With that he just touched him on the shoulder. It was a touch of love. Suddenly the boy began to stream tears.

The boy's heart had listened and had been touched by the gospel that the old man had shared. He turned and he knelt beside a chair in the old man's kitchen. There he too received the Lord Jesus.

Thanking God that his son loved him. Thanking the Lord Jesus that he died and suffered the punishment for his sin. Lucian knew when he stood up.

Oh he had such a peace. His sins were gone. His heart was whiter than snow and he couldn't wait to tell her now.

He couldn't wait to share with his mum the wonderful good news that he was now in God's family. He was saved and saved forever. Come back tomorrow and we'll have the very last episode.

Something Annette does nearly takes her life. Come back and find out how Lucian was used by God to help her survive.