'Why Me?'

February 1, 2007 - Malcolm Muggeridge, the British journalist and author, was to speak at All Soul’s Church in London. He answered questions in an after-service coffee, mostly defending his conversion to Christianity.

by Ruth Bell Graham

When the pastor sensed time was up, he called for one more question. After dealing with that question, Muggeridge noticed a small boy in a wheelchair trying to say something. He stopped. “There is someone who wants to ask me a question. I will wait and answer it,” he said.

Again the boy struggled to get the words out, but nothing came.

“Take your time,” said Muggeridge reassuringly. “I want to hear what you have to ask, and I’ll not leave until I hear it.”

Finally, after a struggle that produced only agonized contortions, the boy blurted out, “You say there is a God who loves us.”

Muggeridge agreed.

“Then—why me?”

Silence filled the room. The boy was silent. The audience was silent. Muggeridge was silent. Finally, he asked, “If you were fit, would you have come to hear me tonight?”

The boy shook his head.

Again Muggeridge was silent. Then, “God has asked a hard thing of you,” he said. “But remember He asked something even harder of Jesus Christ. He died for you. Maybe this was His way of making sure you’d hear of His love and come to put your faith in Him.”