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An Abridged Version of Where Love Is, God Is, by Leo Tolstoy
In a little Russian town there lived a cobbler named Martin. He lived in a tiny basement room, and the only window he had looked out on the street; all he could see were boots. But because he was a cobbler, and knowledgeable of footwear, he was able to recognize people through this one detail. After all, there was hardly a pair of boots in the neighborhood that he hadn’t repaired once or twice. Martin was well-known for his honesty & good work, so he was always quite busy.
It was good for him to be so busy, because at night, when he stopped working, he was often quite lonely, missing his wife and children, all of whom were dead. It was his habit, out of faith as much as to combat loneliness, to read the Bible every night after supper. Because of this, his life became peaceful and joyful.
One night, after reading quite late, Martin fell asleep. Suddenly he heard a voice, as if someone were right above his ear. Martin! He jumped up and looked around. Who’s there? he asked. He looked around the small room, and then he looked out the door; no one was there. Then he heard it again: Martin, Martin! I am coming to see you tomorrow! Watch for me. Martin rubbed his eyes, not sure whether it was real or a dream. He put out his lamp, and tried to go back to sleep.
The next morning when he woke up, Martin still wasn’t sure what had happened, but he thought it was Christ who had spoken to him.. So as he made his breakfast, and then when he began to work, he kept his eye on his small window, much more than usual.
Whenever a pair of boots went by that Martin didn’t recognize, he stooped down, so as to see not only the feet, but also the face of the passerby. A worker went by, in a new pair of boots, then a nurse. As he worked, Martin kept looking through his little window, looking for Jesus’ arrival.
Then a pair of shabby boots went by, and Martin knew them right away. They belonged to an old retired soldier, who was shoveling snow from the sidewalk. He was very old, and very cold, and he kept stopping to blow on his freezing hands. When Martin saw how tired the man was, he tapped on the window and invited him in for tea. As they drank, the old man noticed Martin continually looking out of the window. Are you waiting for someone? he asked. Am I waiting for someone? I am almost ashamed to tell you. Last night, I was reading the Bible, about Jesus, - I’m sure you know the story about him. The man nodded slowly. I have heard of him, but I can’t read, so I don’t know very much. So Martin told the soldier of Jesus’ birth, of some of his miracles, and then of how he was crucified and then raised from the dead. And then, last night, I had this dream, or maybe it was a vision, that Jesus was going to come and see me tonight. I’m ashamed to say, I keep expecting him to come! God bless you, said the soldier as he made for the door after three cups of tea. You have rested my body and my soul!
In the afternoon as Martin continued to watch for Jesus, he saw a woman trying to wrap her child up against the biting winter wind. But the woman and child were dressed in thin rags, and the child was crying bitterly. Martin went out, and brought them inside. He gave them soup and bread, and as they ate, the mother told her story. Her husband had gone to war, and while he was away, she lost her job as a cook. She was going all of the way across the country to stay with relatives. After the woman and her son had eaten their fill, as they prepared to go, Martin went to the wall, and brought down an old cloak that was hanging there. Wrap the boy in it, it will help keep out the cold. And here, he said, as he reached in his pocket, here is some money, to get yourself some warmer clothes. The woman had tears in her eyes. God bless you, she said.
By now it was getting dark. Martin still worked and watched. An old woman came by, carrying a basket of apples in one hand and a heavy bag of firewood in the other. As she stopped to lean against the wall of Martin’s building - he could see her through the window - a young boy sneaked up and grabbed an apple from her basket - but before he could run away, the old woman grabbed him by the hair, &began to beat him.
Martin dashed out of the house, and stopped the woman from striking the boy with one hand, while holding fast to the boy with the other, losing his glasses in the process. Don’t hurt him, please. He is hungry, and he doesn’t know any better. I will pay you for the apple. Please! The woman began to calm down, and the boy said that he was sorry. And by the time the old woman was on her way, she and boy had become friends, and he helped her by carrying the heavy firewood.
Night had come, and after picking up his glasses Martin went back inside. As he put away his tools, he couldn’t help but be disappointed. All day long he had looked for Christ, but Christ had not come. I must have imagined that voice, he told himself.
He wasn’t feeling very hungry, and so he just sat down at his table to read his Bible. He started to open it up, but as the book fell open, he heard a noise in the shadows of the corner. He turned in surprise, and saw figures moving in the gloom. He was frightened, trying to see their faces, when a voice whispered in the little room.
Martin, the voice said softly, didn’t you recognize me? And from the dark corner came the old soldier with his snow shovel. It is I, said the voice, as the old soldier vanished.
Then the mother and child appeared. It is I, said the voice, as the two disappeared. Then the elderly woman and the boy came, and as they too vanished from sight, the voice said, And this is I.
As Martin bowed his head in thankfulness, his eyes glimpsed the open Bible, and he read these words: For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed...Just as you did it to least of these my brothers and sisters, you did it to me.
And so it was that Jesus came to visit Martin the shoemaker, and Martin made him welcome.
In a little Russian town there lived a cobbler named Martin. He lived in a tiny basement room, and the only window he had looked out on the street; all he could see were boots. But because he was a cobbler, and knowledgeable of footwear, he was able to recognize people through this one detail. After all, there was hardly a pair of boots in the neighborhood that he hadn’t repaired once or twice. Martin was well-known for his honesty & good work, so he was always quite busy.
It was good for him to be so busy, because at night, when he stopped working, he was often quite lonely, missing his wife and children, all of whom were dead. It was his habit, out of faith as much as to combat loneliness, to read the Bible every night after supper. Because of this, his life became peaceful and joyful.
One night, after reading quite late, Martin fell asleep. Suddenly he heard a voice, as if someone were right above his ear. Martin! He jumped up and looked around. Who’s there? he asked. He looked around the small room, and then he looked out the door; no one was there. Then he heard it again: Martin, Martin! I am coming to see you tomorrow! Watch for me. Martin rubbed his eyes, not sure whether it was real or a dream. He put out his lamp, and tried to go back to sleep.
The next morning when he woke up, Martin still wasn’t sure what had happened, but he thought it was Christ who had spoken to him.. So as he made his breakfast, and then when he began to work, he kept his eye on his small window, much more than usual.
Whenever a pair of boots went by that Martin didn’t recognize, he stooped down, so as to see not only the feet, but also the face of the passerby. A worker went by, in a new pair of boots, then a nurse. As he worked, Martin kept looking through his little window, looking for Jesus’ arrival.
Then a pair of shabby boots went by, and Martin knew them right away. They belonged to an old retired soldier, who was shoveling snow from the sidewalk. He was very old, and very cold, and he kept stopping to blow on his freezing hands. When Martin saw how tired the man was, he tapped on the window and invited him in for tea. As they drank, the old man noticed Martin continually looking out of the window. Are you waiting for someone? he asked. Am I waiting for someone? I am almost ashamed to tell you. Last night, I was reading the Bible, about Jesus, - I’m sure you know the story about him. The man nodded slowly. I have heard of him, but I can’t read, so I don’t know very much. So Martin told the soldier of Jesus’ birth, of some of his miracles, and then of how he was crucified and then raised from the dead. And then, last night, I had this dream, or maybe it was a vision, that Jesus was going to come and see me tonight. I’m ashamed to say, I keep expecting him to come! God bless you, said the soldier as he made for the door after three cups of tea. You have rested my body and my soul!
In the afternoon as Martin continued to watch for Jesus, he saw a woman trying to wrap her child up against the biting winter wind. But the woman and child were dressed in thin rags, and the child was crying bitterly. Martin went out, and brought them inside. He gave them soup and bread, and as they ate, the mother told her story. Her husband had gone to war, and while he was away, she lost her job as a cook. She was going all of the way across the country to stay with relatives. After the woman and her son had eaten their fill, as they prepared to go, Martin went to the wall, and brought down an old cloak that was hanging there. Wrap the boy in it, it will help keep out the cold. And here, he said, as he reached in his pocket, here is some money, to get yourself some warmer clothes. The woman had tears in her eyes. God bless you, she said.
By now it was getting dark. Martin still worked and watched. An old woman came by, carrying a basket of apples in one hand and a heavy bag of firewood in the other. As she stopped to lean against the wall of Martin’s building - he could see her through the window - a young boy sneaked up and grabbed an apple from her basket - but before he could run away, the old woman grabbed him by the hair, &began to beat him.
Martin dashed out of the house, and stopped the woman from striking the boy with one hand, while holding fast to the boy with the other, losing his glasses in the process. Don’t hurt him, please. He is hungry, and he doesn’t know any better. I will pay you for the apple. Please! The woman began to calm down, and the boy said that he was sorry. And by the time the old woman was on her way, she and boy had become friends, and he helped her by carrying the heavy firewood.
Night had come, and after picking up his glasses Martin went back inside. As he put away his tools, he couldn’t help but be disappointed. All day long he had looked for Christ, but Christ had not come. I must have imagined that voice, he told himself.
He wasn’t feeling very hungry, and so he just sat down at his table to read his Bible. He started to open it up, but as the book fell open, he heard a noise in the shadows of the corner. He turned in surprise, and saw figures moving in the gloom. He was frightened, trying to see their faces, when a voice whispered in the little room.
Martin, the voice said softly, didn’t you recognize me? And from the dark corner came the old soldier with his snow shovel. It is I, said the voice, as the old soldier vanished.
Then the mother and child appeared. It is I, said the voice, as the two disappeared. Then the elderly woman and the boy came, and as they too vanished from sight, the voice said, And this is I.
As Martin bowed his head in thankfulness, his eyes glimpsed the open Bible, and he read these words: For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed...Just as you did it to least of these my brothers and sisters, you did it to me.
And so it was that Jesus came to visit Martin the shoemaker, and Martin made him welcome.
