“What’s the use?” asked a sunbeam, when he saw that a dark corner lay in his way. “I can do no good, falling into this dark corner. Why did not the sun send me somewhere else?” But into the dark corner it went, because it was obliged to go there. Ah! what is this bright and sparkling thing that the sunbeam lights upon! It’s a diamond that fell yesterday from a lady’s ring, and she had been hunting all over the house for it until the fortunate sunbeam showed it to her.
“What’s the use,” asked a second sunbeam, when he saw that his path was toward a dirty, ugly room in the fifth story of a dirty, ugly house. “There’s no use in my going into this miserable room. Why didn’t the great sun send me into some place that was fit for me?” Nevertheless, the sunbeam went on, because it was obliged to go on, and fell upon a miserable little plant in a wretched little flower-pot on a rickety little table. This plant was by the bedside of a sick little girl, and was her only treasure. The sunbeam fell on it, and helped it grow, and it soon sent out a beautiful flower, the delight of the sick girl for many a day.
“What’s the use?” asked a third sunbeam, as it saw that a black, cold office lay in its way. “I can do no good in this cold, bare spot. Why did the great sun send me here?” But still in it went, because it was obliged to go there, and it fell across a desk heaped high with business papers. In front of the desk sat a man whose brow was wrinkled and eyes red and hands trembling, and he was evidently greatly troubled by his business. But when he saw the sunbeam, some way or other it reminded him of God’s goodness, and he thought of the Sun of righteousness that would rise upon him with healing in his wings.
And this, children, is the lesson of the three sunbeams. Always be gentle and cheery and sunshiny, wherever God sends you. No matter if other people do seem to be harsh and cross and cold. No matter if things do go just exactly the opposite of the way you want them to go. No matter if the place where you are seems black and dark. Remember, it is the dark corners and the ugly houses and the cold rooms that need the sunbeams most of all.