John 8:28-29 Then said Jesus to them, When you have lifted up the Son of man, then shall you know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself… A child had a beautiful canary, which sang to him from early morning. The mother of the child was ill — so ill that the song of the little bird, which to the boy was delicious music, disturbed and distressed her so that she could scarcely bear to hear it. He put it in a room far away, but the bird's notes reached the sick bed, and caused pain to her in her long, feverish days. One morning, as the child stood holding his mother's hand, he saw that when his pet sang, an expression of pain passed over her dear face. She had never yet told him that she could not bear the noise, but she did so now. "It is no music to me," she said, as he asked her if the notes were not pretty. He looked at her in wonder. "And do you really dislike the sound?" "Indeed I do," she said. The child, full of love to his mother, left the room. The golden feathers of the pretty canary were glistening in the sunshine, and he was trilling forth his loveliest notes; but they had ceased to please the boy. They were no longer pretty or soothing to him, and taking the cage in his hand he left the house. When he returned he told his mother that the bird would disturb her rest no more, for he had given it to his little cousin. "But you loved it so," she said; "how could you part with the canary?" "I loved the canary, mother," he replied; "but I love you more. I could not really love anything that gave you pain. It would not be true love if I did." (Quiver.) Parallel Verses KJV: Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. |
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