I have read of an artist who wanted to paint a picture of the Prodigal
Son. He searched through the madhouse, and the poor houses, and the
prisons, to find a man wretched enough to represent the prodigal, but he
could not find one. One day he was walking down the streets and met a
man whom he thought would do. He told the poor beggar he would pay him
well if he came to his room and sat for the portrait. The beggar agreed,
and the day was appointed for him to come. The day came, and a man put
in his appearance at the artist's room. "You made an appointment with
me," he said, when he was shown into the studio. The artist looked at
him, "I never saw you before," he said; "you cannot have an appointment
with me." "Yes," he said, "I agreed to meet you to-day at ten o'clock."
"You must be mistaken; it must have been some other artist; I was to see
a beggar here at this hour." "Well," says the beggar, "I am he." "You?"
"Yes." "Why, what have you been doing?" "Well, I thought I would dress
myself up a bit before I got painted." "Then," said the artist, "I do
not want you; I wanted you as you were; now, you are no use to me." That
is the way Christ wants every poor sinner, just as he is. It is only the
ragged sinners that open God's wardrobe.
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