The Empty Roll
THE EMPTY ROLL
Read Galatians 2:16-20.
“Your hot dog’s almost done, Ellis,” Aaron told his little brother. Aaron twirled the long fork once more before withdrawing it from the fire. He placed the hot dog on a bun and handed it to Ellis. Then he began to roast one for himself.
“Know what, Dad?” Aaron said to his father, who was roasting two hot dogs at a time. “I think Devon, the new boy at school, is a Christian. I know he goes to church, and he never swears or gets mad. He’s not like most of the guys.”
“Well, that sounds promising,” replied Dad, who moved to the picnic table and handed one of the hot dogs to Mom.
Aaron followed. “Ellis, you’re not eating the hot dog I roasted for you,” he complained, looking at the untouched meat on Ellis’s plate.
“Am too. See?” Ellis held up a half-eaten hot dog bun, thickly spread with ketchup. “I like hot dogs.”
“That’s just bread,” said Aaron. “It’s not a hot dog unless the meat’s in it.”
“Aaron’s right,” said Dad. “And here’s something else to remember—just as a hot dog roll without the meat isn’t a hot dog, a person isn’t a Christian without Christ. He’s like that empty roll. Take your friend Devon, for instance. I’m glad he’s such a nice young man, Aaron, but none of the things you mentioned make him a Christian. He is a Christian only if he’s accepted Christ into his life.”
HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you asked Jesus Christ to come into your life? You may be a very nice person—but a very nice person without Christ is not a Christian. Don’t be like an empty roll.
TO MEMORIZE:
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20
A CHRISTIAN HAS CHRIST.
From the book
