IT WAS Sunday morning and the children had been up learning their text, which for that day was, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” 1 John 4:11.
After breakfast Nancy and Frank got to quarreling. And what do you think it was all about? Why, who should carry the basketball downstairs out into the back yard.
Nancy wanted it because she thought of it first, and Frank wanted it because he was the oldest.
“You’re a selfish boy,” said Nancy, “and I’ll just tell Daddy how mean you are.”
“And I’ll tell Mommy I wish she’d sell you to somebody,” returned Frank.
“I don’t love you one bit,” said Nancy.
“And who wants you to?” asked Frank.
So the naughty quarrelsome children went on from bad to worse, sang all kinds of nasty things to one another — things they were ashamed of Afterward.
All this time baby Ben was coming downstairs behind them. Slowly, one foot at a time, holding fast to the banister with both his fat small hands, the little man made his way; wider and wider opened his big blue eyes, more and more surprised he looked, as he heard the angry words.
At the bottom of the stairs there was a tug-of-war. Frank was trying hard to get the ball away from Nan-
cy, and she was pulling his hair, when the baby stopped on the lowest stair and preached his little sermon to them.
“Ittle chillen,” he said, “love one anodder.”
That was all he said. Nancy dropped her hands, her face flushed, then at last she said, “Here, Frank, you can have the ball. I want to be kind.”
“So do I,” said Frank. “You can have the first toss, Nancy. I’m — I’m very sorry I was so angry.”
The two children went off to the back yard, now friends, and ashamed. Little Ben curled himself up in Daddy’s big chair and there they found him, fast asleep with his thumb in his mouth.
“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
“Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” 1 John 4:10,11.
Memory Verse “THE FEAR OF MAN BRINGETH A SNARE: BUT WHOSO PUTTETH HIS TRUST IN THE LORD SHALL BE SAFE.” PROV. 29:25.
ML-04/04/1971