A CHRISTIAN was passing along the streets of P____ where several children were playing about in front of their parents' cottages when he overhead one, quite a little fellow, say to another, still smaller than himself, "Jesus is up in heaven."
"Is He," answered the other, "where?" And as he said the words he looked up from his play, and gazed toward the sky, as though expecting to see Him.
Pleased with the children's remarks, the passer-by stopped, and said to the elder,
"And do you love Jesus, my little man?"
"Yes," was the unhesitating reply. "And does Jesus love you?"
"When I'm good."
"When you are good. Does He not love you when you are naughty?"
"Does your mother love you?"
"Yes, when I'm good."
"But does she not love you when you are naughty?"
"No, she scolds me."
"Scolds you, eh! Well, if you are naughty, you deserve scolding, but I think she loves you when you are naughty as well as when you are good. It's the naughty ways that mother does not love, And so it is with Jesus, He loves little children, whether they are good or naughty, but He does not love their naughty ways."
The dear boy, a bright, intelligent little fellow, listened with marked attention to all that was said to him, apparently deeply, interested, and. impressed by something that he had never heard before.
"And where did you learn to love Jesus?"
"At the Sunday school at S—-."
"Well, now, don't forget what you have heard, that mother loves you whether good or naughty, but does not love your naughty ways. Goodbye."
"And Jesus the same," cried out the dear boy, as though he quite entered into it all.
"Yes, that's right, Jesus the same."
And now, my dear young readers, it is time for me to ask you the question, Do you love Jesus? How do you answer? Perhaps some little one says,
"I would like to love Him."
Think, then, dear child, of His love to you. Think of that precious Saviour, who came into this world, and who rebuked His disciples when they sought to hinder the poor women bringing their dear little ones to him. Jesus did not say anything about the children being good or bad, but took them up in His arms just as they were.
It is because we are all naughty and bad that we need a Saviour. And the moment you believe on. Him, His precious blood will take away your sins, and you will be safe in His love (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)).
Many mothers tell their children that Jesus will not love them unless they are good, and thus teach them self-righteousness from their early infancy: The Bible tells us,
"There is none that doeth good, no not one." Rom, 3:12.
"[f you tarry till you're better You will never come at all."
Come now, dear little one, to Jesus, just as you are.
Messages of God’s Love 9/9/1934