In a small town lived a poor shoemaker. He was a good man, hardworking, and honest. And a strong believer. He regularly attended church and lived by God’s word in everything he did. But one year, the man fell ill just before the major church holiday. It wasn’t anything too serious, but the doctor specifically told him not to leave his home. Furthermore, the church was far from his house.
“Oh, what a pity that I won’t be able to go to the temple,” thought the shoemaker, and with a heavy heart, he went to bed. That night he dreamt that he heard a quiet and gentle voice saying, “Don’t worry. If you can’t come that day, I will come to you.”
The man woke up and was filled with joyful excitement. “Well, yes, that was the Lord,” he said to himself. “What luck! The Lord himself will visit me!” He got out of bed, put on his best clothes, tidied up his home as best he could, set the festive table, opened the windows wide to let in the fresh air, and waited.
At one point, he heard a child crying outside. He appeared at the window and saw a child sitting on the sidewalk, crying.
“What’s wrong, child? What happened?” the shoemaker asked, concerned.
“My mom sent me to buy bread and food, but I lost the money… It was her last money, and I don’t know how to tell her -” the child said tearfully. “Now, there’s nothing to put on the table for two days.”
“Don’t cry, my boy. Hey, now I’ll give you everything I have in the pantry, in a bag. It’s not much, but it’ll last you two days,” the man said, filling the bag and handing it to the child through the window. “Here are some sweets for the holiday… Now, run back to your mother and don’t cry anymore.”
The little boy cheered up, wiped away his tears, and happily ran home. And the man sat back down, still waiting for his dear guest. The day was almost over, and yet he still hadn’t arrived.
Somewhere late in the afternoon, someone knocked on the door. It was a poor woman who often brought her shoes to him for repair.
“Excuse me, sir, for bothering you on the holiday, but today my last shoes broke, and I have nothing to wear, and it’ll probably start raining… Can you fix them for me… until I go barefoot and dry-footed?”
“Come in and sit down,” said the shoemaker. “Hey, now I’ll fix them. In the meantime, take something from the table and eat.”
“Well, there’s something else, sir,” the woman said worriedly. “Could I pay you for the repair next week, because it’s very difficult for me right now?”
“Don’t worry about the money. You won’t pay me anything. It’s such a small thing…”
He repaired the woman’s shoes, she thanked him, and left feeling grateful and peaceful. But night had already fallen, and the guest still hadn’t arrived. Sometime late in the evening, the shoemaker decided that apparently, he wasn’t coming and decided to go to bed. “Well, I’ll wait a little longer…” he said to himself and leaned on the open window.
At that moment, a stranger came down the dark street, who, looking at him, stopped and said:
“Excuse me, kind sir, could you accommodate me for the night? I’ve been on the road all day, but I got stuck in your town, and I don’t know anyone here, and I have nowhere to stay at the moment.”
“Well, welcome. That’s all I was about to lie down for. I have a spare bed; come, I’ll make you a bed…” said the shoemaker, inviting the stranger into his home.
Then he offered him food, they both sat down, and he also lay down. And as he fell asleep, he thought to himself: “If the Lord didn’t come to me on this holiday, then apparently I’m still not a good enough Christian to be honored with this visit…” And as he slept, he heard the same soft and gentle voice again. This time it said to him: “Today, I came to you three times. And each time, you welcomed me warmly and sincerely.”
Whatever you do for your little brothers, you do it for Me.
Jesus Christ