Knife Point

by -Rev. Ronald Adkins

"Please come quickly, he's going to kill himself."


I was nearly asleep, having just returned to my room after a long afternoon's visiting. But the urgency of the speaker's words roused me to action.

I knew my visitor, Mrs. Osborne. One of her boarders was Henry Robinson, an enormous and very sour fellow. I had visited him two or three times and found him a most depressing person. Everything, according to him, was wrong - myself included. Once he got drunk - and I saw from the look in Mrs. Osborne's eyes that he had - anything could happen.

I hurried with her to her house, but once I got to the top of the rickety stairs she left me alone.

Henry's door was facing me. I could hear him moving on the other side.

I tried the door handle but it was locked. Then Henry called, "Who's there?"

I told him who I was.

There was no answer, but the key turned in the lock and the door was thrown open. In a flash I was dragged inside and the door was locked behind me.

I looked at Henry and saw that his eyes were crazed with alcohol. Then I noticed a long knife lying on the table. Watching the direction of my eyes, Henry reached over and grasped the knife in his hand.

"I'm going to finish myself," he said. He paused, and a mad smile came over his face. "And I've decided not to go by myself. I'll take you with me." He smiled again. "You'll be nice company."

I stared, horrified. I could see that he meant what he said. I prayed for help and, as I did, my next words came to me: "I'm ready to die. Are you?"

He was advancing on me with the knife in his hand, but at my words he stopped. "What do you mean?" he said.

As he spoke, a great calmness came over me; all fear left me. Whatever happened, I knew God was with me and all would be well.

"Jesus is my Saviour," I said. "Is He yours?"

Henry stared at me but did not say one word.

"I am going to pray," I ventured. "After that, you can do what you want. But you must first let me pray. Do you agree?"

I wondered whether I could trust him. Even if he did let me pray, what would happen next? Death?

For a second fear came back to me. But it vanished in the next moment, for I suddenly felt enveloped in the great love of God.

So I commended Henry and myself to God's care. I knew that at any moment I might feel that knife entering my body. But I was not going to open my eyes. I was talking to God and wanted to forget material things.

After finishing I slowly opened my eyes. I saw a strange sight: tears were running down Henry's face.

I moved over to him; as I did so, the knife fell from his hand.

"I'm wicked," he said, "I don't deserve to live. But now, after your prayer, I'm afraid to die and face God."

"Sit down," I said, "and tell me all about it."

And that's just what he did.

What he said was too intimate to relate here. Suffice it to say that he had been in prison more than once for stealing; his wife had left him and had then been killed in an accident. His son had died of meningitis.

Henry was alone in the world, or so he thought. I was able to bring home to him the wonderful truth that no one is alone, that God is always there if we will only turn to Him.

I took the New Testament from my pocket and read to him the story of the penitent thief who received Christ's forgiveness.

And that day another penitent thief came to Jesus.

The Bible says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

You, too, can enjoy eternal life by becoming a child of God. John 1:12 states, "As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name." Here is a prayer to help you:

Lord Jesus, I realize that I am a sinner. I thank You for dying on the cross in my place. I invite You to come into my heart and life right now. I accept Your gift of eternal life. Thank You."

-Rev. Ronald Adkins
(Revised)