Peter the Great, who ruled over Russia, was very fond of disguising himself and going amongst his peasants, and seeing their poverty, noticing who was most worthy of relief. He always won their confidence, but on one occasion a man who was out of work and wanting employment, was very rude to him. "Go away," he said. "You are poor like ourselves, your clothes show that; we don't want your pity or your comfort. We want money and nothing else. You're no good to us at all." [Illustration: WASHING FEET. John 13.3-5.] He little knew who was standing amongst them, but later on he was told. "Oh," he cried, "had I only known, what a lot I could have asked for!" We can't admire a man like that, but our Lord stands amongst us to help the needy, to strengthen the weak, to comfort the sorrowful. "Oh," you say, "I have all I want. I'm not very poor, and I'm not sad, and I'm having a pretty good time just now." Then you don't want to know your King? Let me tell you that when He comes back again to this world He will either be your Judge or your Friend and Saviour. Which would you like best? If you have refused to know Him down here, when He opens the gates of Paradise, the Golden City, and you press forward with the others who are going in, He will look upon you sorrowfully, and will say: "I never knew you. Depart from Me." And you will be shut out. How sad! Why not now come to Him and belong to Him? Remember, He bought you with His precious blood. He knows it is difficult to be always good. He has been a boy himself, and knows how boys get tempted. And He stands close to you, ready to help you fight your battles over your besetting sins, longing to fill your young hearts with joy and happiness, wanting to show you that a life in His service is a hundred times happier than one lived in the service of the Devil, who wants to destroy your soul. Will you lift up your hearts, and ask Him to show Himself to you? Here is another thought for you. You don't make friends of a stranger in a moment, but you can fall in love at sight, and then the more you talk with a person, the oftener you see them, the better you know them. You have heard of our Lord Jesus Christ, you have read about Him, but if you really want to know Him and take Him as your best Friend, you must come to Him, pray to Him, and talk to Him often; you must read what He says in His Word, and you must try and carry out His wishes every day of your life. Ask Him to make you know Him, love Him, and serve Him. You cannot help loving Him when you remember that He has died for you, when you realise that He will never leave you nor fail you as long as you need His help. Do not let it be said of you: "There standeth One among you, Whom ye know not." CHAT IX ——— Our Inheritance