The Solitary Coal

A Sunday school teacher had noticed that one of his students had been absent from class for a long time. So he went to visit his home, and found his at the fireplace, and sat down beside him without a rebuke, without saying anything. Instead, he picked up the tongs and removed one of the glowing coals from the rest and placed it alone on the hearthstone. The two just sat there watching the burning coal grow colder and colder until there was no more fire at all. The absent member turned to the teacher and said, “You don’t have to say a word. I’ll be there next Sunday! There are many who say they don’t need to gather with the rest of the body or go to church. But we are coals on God’s fireplace. And His fire is the spirit. And so when we come together, we inspire each other, we challenge each other. So it’s not so much a matter of duty. It’s a matter of need. You need their fire,and they need yours. So don’t separate yourself. Get back in the fire and get warmed up. For there’s nothing more useless the a fireless coal.