Crying for the Razor

There lived a family in Chicago some years ago who had a very mischievous small boy. One day, on seeing his father's razor, he became infatuated with it and cried and fretted daily because he could not have it to play with. However, he took special notice as to where the razor was kept, hoping to be able, some day, to steal it out. So one day the opportunity came, as both parents were absent for a. short while. He quietly opened the dresser drawer, took out the razor, and began playing with it. But as he did not know how to handle or use it, nearly every way he turned it it cut his hands. It was cutting him so many ways and so often, that he became afraid to turn it loose or hold on to it; so when his parents returned they found him all bespattered with blood, with the razor in his hand, jumping up and down on the floor, screaming at the top of his voice.

This narrative is a striking picture of God's children who, sometimes, in their blindness, cry, pray, and tease their heavenly Father for things which, if gotten, would be quite destructive. Let us notice a few ways in which we, through our ignorance, cry for the razor.

First, we sometimes, in our blindness, think we could get along so much better, and do more for the Lord, if we had plenty of money; but it is a sad mistake. There are many of God's little ones who have been wrecked on this rock. When they only had a limited amount of this world's goods, they were holy, humble, teachable, and simple; but when they became rich, they soon grew proud, self-conceited, covetous, and high-minded, and instead of wealth being the blessing they had thought it would be, it proved to be the razor that cut them on every side.

A second way of crying for the razor is seen in saints and workers who are anxious to get married, but owing to their special line of work, or poor health, or circumstances, etc., etc., they never get the Spirit's endorsement on that line. However, they will continue to tease Him from time to time, until He reluctantly gives consent. But they will not go very far up the road of matrimonial life before they awake to the fact that they have been crying for the razor.

A third way of crying for the razor is sometimes seen in people praying for gifts and talents like those of others. The writer once knew a man who heard a lady speaking in tongues, and thought it was the most wonderful thing he ever heard. So he began praying for it, telling the Lord he had to have it at any cost. He finally got it, but did not possess it many hours before finding out that instead of having the great blessing which he thought he was getting, he had taken hold of a razor.