A story is told of William Gladstone (1809–1898), a famous Christian who was England’s prime minister four times and one of the most prominent British political leaders of the 1800s. As he went up the steps of the parliament building, he often would stop and share the good news about Jesus with the little newsboy there.
But one day as he and his secretary were going into parliament, another newsboy rushed up to them, exclaiming, “Please, sir, the boy who sells papers here was run over by a carriage yesterday, and he’s badly hurt. He’s going to die, and he’s asking for you to come and get him in.” The prime minister questioned, “What do you mean, ‘get him in’?” The lad replied, “You know, get him in to heaven!”
Gladstone’s secretary, however, protested, “You don’t have time to visit a dying newsboy! You know how important your speech is. It could change the course of history.”
Gladstone hesitated only a moment, then said, “One immortal soul is worth more than my speech in parliament.” So off to the little garret he went, where the newsboy lay crushed and dying on a rough mat in the corner. With tears streaming down his face, Gladstone led the boy in a prayer to receive Jesus as his Lord and Savior. The newsboy looked up into the great man’s face and whispered, “I knew you’d come. Thank you for getting me in.” Then he closed his eyes and went to be with Jesus.
You and I may not be part of an earthly diplomatic corps, but no matter who we are or where we’re from, if we have Jesus, we are called to be His ambassadors. Jesus said, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (John 20:21), and the apostle Paul wrote, “We are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:20 NLT). May we each be faithful to our calling to bring the gospel and the love of Christ to as many people as we can.