A FRIEND FOR SEBASTIAN.

In the West Indian market place, most people ignored Sebastian, and few bought his bananas because he often scowled when anyone approached him.

Therefore, one day he folded his small market stall, and sadly walked home. He climbed the stairs, unlocked the door, shuffled into his room, and wearily flopped into his ricketty chair. He pushed aside his lunch of cold corn.

Sebastian was lonely, very sad, and frightened. ‘If only I had a friend, life might be different,’ he thought.

For comfort, Sabastian slid his tiny transistor radio from his torn shirt pocket. He flicked the switch hoping to hear bright, jazzy music to cheer himself. Instead, to his great surprise, he heard a bright voice say

‘Are you lonely? Do you wish you had a friend?’ Sebastian nodded in amazement at the question. How did that man know he needed a friend. He twiddled the dial for a louder and clearer sound.

‘Jesus is a Friend who will always stay close to you.’

Sebastian mumbled to himself, ‘Who is Jesus? How can someone whom I do not know be close to me? It sounds queer.’

The radio announcer continued, ‘If you wish to know more, write so that we may send you a free book?’ Hastily Sebastian pulled a stubby pencil from his ragged trouser pocket, and grabbed a scrappy, grubby piece of paper. He scribbled the address repeated by the announcer. Later he found a clean piece of paper, where he wrote his simple note of request. Next, Sebastian borrowed an envelope from his neighbour in exchange for two bananas. He bought a stamp with the small coins left in his pocket, and posted his brief letter requesting the promised book. Surprisingly, he felt more peaceful after posting the letter.

Then Sebastian waited. He continued his banana stall in the market, but the people noticed his calmer manner, without knowing how anxiously he waited for his book. Two weeks later, when Sabastian ran up stairs, he found a package by the door of his tiny Caribbean island home.

He pushed his key into the lock, turned it, opened the door, and walked over to sit at the wobbly table. Excitedly he tore away the paper. ‘Oh,’ he shouted, as he read the title, ‘Stories about a Friend.’ And sitting in his well-worn chair, with his elbow propped on the table, Sebastian read right through to the end of the gospel of John.

It was the best news he had ever read. Sebastian thought he was without friends. But now Jesus was the Friend who promised never to leave him or desert him as his Saviour, Lord and Friend.

Sebastian wrote again to the christian radio station for more books, as promised, until he understood about Jesus, God’s special Son, the Friend who now filled his life with love and friendship.

Immediately the people in the market place noticed the wonderful change in Sebastian. ‘You smile for us and do not get angry now’. His peaceful, happy manner brought people flocking to his banana stall, until he sold more bananas than anyone else in the stall. ‘Tell us why you are different.’

‘I have found a friend,’ admitted Sebastian happily, ‘and his name is Jesus.’ He took a book from his pocket to show the people.

‘Can we read, too?’ they asked, and Sebastian invited people to his room, up the stairs. And every night he read the stories of Jesus from the New Testament, and introduced them to the Christian radio broadcasts.

Sebastian explained so simply how Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the price for our neglect of God, and evil ways. Jesus came alive again, and when He returned to heaven, He sent His loving Spirit to come into the lives of all those who believed in His friend, Jesus.

The people listened gladly, and I am sure Sebastian served them bananas for supper.

The memory verse: John 3:16 . ‘ God so loved the world that He gave His own special, unique Son, that whoever believes ( and trusts ) in Him shall never perish but have everlasting life.'

( Can you place your name with ‘whoever’ in this verse, like Sebastian and his friends. )