A little boy was selling newspapers on the street corner. He was so cold he lost interest, and walked up to a policeman. “Mister, you wouldn’t happen to know where a poor boy could find a warm place to sleep the night, would you?” he asked. “You see, I sleep in a box up around the alley and it’s awful cold in there during the night. Sure would be nice to have a warm place to stay.”

The policeman looked down at the little lad. “You go down the street to that big white house and knock on the door,” he explained. “When the door opens, you just say John 3:16. You’ll be looked after.”

The little boy walked up the steps and knocked on the door, and a lady answered. He looked up and said, “John 3:16.” The lady said warmly, “Come on in, son.”

She took him by the hand and sat him down in a split bottom rocker in front of a great big old fireplace. Then she went off. The boy sat there for a while and thought to himself: John 3:16. I don’t understand it, but it sure makes a cold boy warm.

Later she came back. “Are you hungry?” she asked. He replied nervously, “Well, just a little. I haven’t eaten in a couple of days, and I guess I could stand some food.”

The lady led him gently into the kitchen and sat him down at a table full of wonderful food. He ate and ate until he couldn’t eat anymore. Then he thought to himself: John 3 :16. Boy, I sure don’t understand it but it sure makes a hungry boy full.

The kind lady took him upstairs and pointed to the bathroom where, upon entering, he saw a huge bathtub filled with warm water, all for him. When the lady left, he undressed and got into the bathtub. As he sat there and soaked in the warm water for awhile, he thought to himself: John 3:16. I sure don’t understand it, but it sure makes a dirty boy clean. The only bath I ever had was when I stood in front of the big old fire hydrant as they flushed it out.

The lady came in and got him when he was washed and dressed. She took him to another room, tucked him into a big old feather bed, pulled the covers up around his neck, kissed him goodnight and turned out the lights. As he lay in the darkness and looked out the window at the snow coming down on that cold night, he thought to himself: John 3:16. I don’t understand it but it sure makes a tired boy rested.

The next morning the lady came back up to the room and took him down again to that same big table full of food. After he ate, she took him back to that same big old split bottom rocker in front of the fireplace and picked up a big old Bible.

She sat down in front of him and looked into his bright young face.

“Do you understand what John 3:16 means?” she asked gently. “No, Mam, I don’t,” he replied The first time I ever heard of it was last night when the policeman told me to use it when I knocked on your door.” She opened the Bible to John 3:16 and began to explain the scripture passage to him about God’s love for us that He sent His only begotten Son into our world so that we might not perish but have eternal life. As he sat there listening, wide-eyed, to this amazing story, read by this amazing woman, in front of that big old fireplace, he thought: John 3:16. I don’t understand it, but if it can make this generous lady as good as she is, its good enough for me.

I’m that boy and I have to confess I still don’t understand it either: how God was willing to send His Son to die for me, and how Jesus would agree to do such a thing. I don’t understand how the Father and every angel in heaven could watch Jesus suffer and die for the sins of others. I don’t understand Jesus’s great love for me that kept Him on the cross till the end. I don’t understand it, but it sure has changed my life and made it worth living.

—Thomas Hellier