2007-11-01: Diamonds In the Rough

His name was John Egglon. He was a leader in his church, but he was not the preacher. In January 1850, snow buried his town. It was Sunday and he thought about staying home, but he was a leader. He walked 6 miles through the snow to the Methodist Church. Thirteen people showed up. Twelve were members and one was a visitor. The preacher was snowed in. Someone suggested that they all go home but Egglon said no. He preached a 10 minute sermon that wandered around. He kept repeating, "Young man, look to Jesus."

The visitor who was a boy heard that sermon and said after he became a man, "I did look, and then and there the cloud of my heart lifted, the darkness rolled away, and at that moment I saw the sun." That young boy was Charles Spurgeon who became the Prince of Preachers.

Did Egglon know what he had done? No, but in that moment what he did affected the future. Tomorrow someone like Charles Spurgeon may bring their car in to be worked on. They may mow your lawn, or you may coach them on a basketball team. They are like diamonds in the rough waiting to be discovered, so be ready because the influence you have may last a lifetime in the life of some young person.