LITTLE ROSE and her mother were sitting in a railway coach waiting for the train to start. Suddenly at the last minute a man came rushing down the platform and with great difficulty climbed aboard just as the train was about to move off. A minute later and he would have been too late.
After resting a while in his seat the man tried to interest himself in the newspaper. However, this did not seem to satisfy him for he began to swear and use the name of the Lord Jesus in oaths and curses. It was this which stirred the soul of little Rose for she came and standing near him said, “Tell me, do you love the Lord Jesus? I do for quite a while!”
Another traveler in the same coach was a missionary who had also heard the blasphemous use of that precious name of “Jesus,” “which is above every name,” and had wondered how he might speak to the offender. He was indeed startled by the tactful and artless way in which the little girl had handled the matter.
The effect of Rose’s innocent remark was very evident, for the man was suddenly quiet and did not annoy the other travelers any more for the rest of the journey.
By and by little Rose and her mother got off the train. The missionary felt the opportunity was now favorable for a talk with the traveler whose language had been so offensive earlier. The Lord blessed the presentation of the gospel to him, for he was quite subdued and listened attentively to the message of the grace of God and the Saviour’s dying love.
Sometime later the man, now a newborn soul, confessed the Lord Jesus as his Saviour. He said: “The Lord used the unexpected question, ‘Tell me, do you love the Lord Jesus?’ and little Rose’s testimony, ‘I do for quite a while,’ to humble me. It came as a solemn rebuke out of the heart and mouth of a child, so courageously put to me, and it led to my conversion. I simply could not get rid of the question until I too could say, ‘Yes, I do love Him.’ The talk with the missionary helped me very much, but I always thank the Lord that He used that dear little girl to speak to me as she did.”
ML-12/23/1973