That's why you're pretty today, and that's why she's scarred. Are you ashamed of those scars?

Not long ago, a young lady come in from college. Her mother had washed over a board to send her to college. And when she drove into the station, she had a--brought young girl with her, and she'd got away from God and away from church. The young girl was with her. And the young girl setting in the--the train looking out in the... There stood her mother on the outside; she was all scarred up. And the young girl was looking at her from the train, finally said, "Look at that old haggy looking woman." That was the girl's mother. Said, "Isn't she horrible? My, wouldn't you hate to have to set at the table with her to eat?" That was her girlfriend. Now, instead of the girl speaking up, she turned her head. And when she got off the train, this old wrinkled woman run up to her, and threw her arms around the girl, and kissed her. And the girl was so repulsed. And she'd got away from her, got away from church and God. And she was so cold; she turned her back to the lady.
She said, "My, darling, my darling, what's happened to you?" And she was so embarrassed 'cause of her girlfriend...

 

 Just then, one of the conductors who knowed the story, walked up and grabbed the young girl by the shoulders, said, "Looky here, you...?... What do you mean?" Said, "Are you ashamed of your mother since you've been away at the college?" Said, "Remember, you know the story. One day the house was burning down. Your mother was a beautiful woman, far more beautiful than you are, or ever would be." And said, "You were a little tiny baby. When she was hanging her clothes in the back yard, and all at once the house caught fire. And here comes the fire engines to put it out. And the house was in flames. And you were crying up in the upstairs. No one would dare to pierce the flames. That little mother wrapped herself, and in there she run through those flames. She grabbed you. Took her clothes from her body and wrapped your face up, and wrapped you all up, and put your arms and placed her own face to the flames. And through the flames she come to rescue you. That's why you're pretty today, and that's why she's scarred. Are you ashamed of those scars?"

 

 That's the way Jesus did for us. When we were sinners, ugly before God, cast away, turned away, He came, the lovely Son of God from the ivory palaces, come down on the earth, and took the shame upon Himself and the sin upon Himself, and died there at Calvary, crying.
Should I be ashamed of His Gospel? Christians on the street are ashamed to stand up for the Gospel. But He was marred and made ugly, that you could be free. He was marred by sin that you could be free from sin. Don't never deny Him. Always love Him. Stand for that which is true. Stand for His Gospel.

 

50-0827A, Prodigal, Tent Meeting, Cleveland, OH