Love or Legality

 A certain old merchant told me a very interesting story about his son. He has only one boy, and when he became of age the father called him into his counting-room and said: "Now, Fritz, you are twenty-one, and I have made up my mind to take you into the firm with me." Fritz seemed very much pleased at this announcement. "Yes," said the father, "I have determined that I will give you outright one-third interest in my entire business." At this further announcement Fritz beamed with. joy. "But,'' said the father, "if I am to take you into partnership, we must, of course, have a regular business arrangement, just the same as if we were not related. I have drawn up a little contract here, in which I have set the limit of the amount that each one will be permitted to draw from the business. You will notice that I have placed your limit at two hundred dollars a month." At this announcement the countenance of young Fritz fell. He thought it over for a few minutes, and then he said: " Father, I think I would rather be your son than your partner. You have never denied me anything in my life that I have asked for. If I wanted a hundred or a thousand dollars, you have never refused me. Let things go on just as they are. You shall own it all, and I will be your son." The old man chuckled a good deal over the shrewdness of the lad. The Christian's relation to God is like that. Our morality is not a mere legal thing, but we are his sons; and when we give up our hearts to him in loving sonship, giving him our service for love's sweet sake, he will give us a blank check that will more than cover all our needs.

• Who are the sons and daughters of God?
• Sons and Daughters
• The Children Clip Art Index