There was a railway signalman who was in charge of a junction by a bridge over a river. One day as he saw the express train approaching, he pulled the lever to direct the train over the bridge. But the junction was stuck: someone had thrown a lump of rock and it had stuck in the rails. The train would be thrown from the tracks into the river, killing those on board.

There was not enough time for him to get to the junction and remove the rock. Just then he saw his son, playing in the garden not far from the junction. The son looked round and saw his father, and heard the oncoming train. At once he knew what he must do. Jumping the fence, he ran to the junction and pulled the rock free. The rail moved into place and the train was directed safely on the rails to the bridge. But the signalman’s beloved and only son was killed in the act of saving the people.

As the train approached the signal box, the signalman saw that the people inside were all playing, drinking, fighting, vandalizing the train and taking part in every other evil act. But as the train passed he saw two small children that he knew waving to him from the back of the train. And, because of the children, he knew that what had been done was right.

“You are not your own; you were bought at a price.” (1 Corinthians 5:19-20).