“If I get there just in time for the bell, they won’t have a chance to yell mean things at me,” he reasoned. He would never let the gang know the agony it caused him to come to school dressed as he was. Of course he looked like a scarecrow in his fher’s old cut-down overalls and shirt, and those rubber boots for shoes. They weren’t so warm either; his toes were stiff with cold right now; but he woul’t complain. Father and Mother did the best they could, and it would only make them feel bad.
As he slowly walked along, some one caught sight of him and yelled derisively, “Hey, fellers, here comes Boots!”
They all laughed with that unconscious cruelty of youth.
Quickly he entered the schoolhouse, and as he warmed himself by the fire, the jeers forgotten, he thought happily, “I’ll ask teacher today.”
The school bell rang and the sturdy, rosy-cheeked youngsters filed into the schoolroom. There were only fourteen or fifteen in all, and they came in quietly, for even the most mischievous of them had a great respect for Miss Nelson, the new teacher. She was very different from all their other teachers. How vividly they remembered that first morning of school. When all were in their seats, she had said in a soft clear voice (little they knew the courage it had taken to do so),
“Before we begin our school this morning, let’s bow our heads and ask Jesus to be with us.”
Then she bent her head and closed her eyes (hadn’t they all watched?) and talked to this Someone called Jesus, whom they couldn’t see. And every morning since then she had opened the school with prayer.
Classes began, but David in his baggy trousers and big boots was not intent on his arithmetic and spelling. He was wondering desperately about prayer and Jesus. Recess came without his having a chance to ask his question, but during the noon hour, while the others were shouting outside in the snow, he approached the teacher timidly.
“Miss Nelson,” his voice was anxious, “if I asked Jesus for just three things, do you suppose He’d give them to me?”
“If you ask, and believe that He will answer. What three things do you want, David?”
“I’d like some clothes like the other fellers wear, so they won’t laugh at me any more; an’ I’d like for us to have enough to eat, so we wouldn’t always be hungry; but, Miss Nelson, I want most of all a new place to live so little sister can cry — she’ll die if she doesn’t! Will He give me these things, teacher, will He?”
Miss Nelson’s heart was touched. Too well she knew the poverty of this home, the father’s inability to get work, and even if they had been able to pay, she knew of no vacant house for rent in the settlement. But she stilled the doubts in her heart, and answered, “Yes, David, I believe He will. Do you?”
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Mahew 6:33.
ML 05/20/1956