THERE was a little girl about six years old, who lived at B. and was bright and active. She had been playing with her young friends, all of them apparently having a pleasant time together.
This little girl’s name was Lucy. She came into the house during the morning feeling very fretful, because she was tired of play.
“Lucy”, said a friend, “have you no work to do?”
The little girl opened her blue eyes, and looked earnestly at the speaker to see if she was in earnest. Then she said,
“No, indeed! Papa works, because he is a big man; all the tall men ought to work, so ought the great ladies, and the big boys, and the large girls; but I am only six years old.”
Just then a honey bee came buzzing along, and alighted on a white rose.
“The bee”, said her friend, “is not a tall man, a great lady, a big boy, nor a large girl, —yet he finds work to do.”
“He works to make honey”, replied Lucy; and taking a knitting needle from the table, she idly stirred his soft wings.
Then they saw a bird that was building a nest upon the apple tree. This little bird was very busy carrying sticks, straw, and all manner of things, and singing merrily when she had deposited her heavy load. Lucy’s friend whispered in her ear,
“The birds find work to do.”
Then they saw the little ants running to and fro; and a spicier weaving a web.
“They are all at work.” Then her friend kindly said, “You see, dear Lucy, the smallest of all God’s creatures are flying, creeping, or swimming to their work. They have no soul, and yet they understand that they must have a part to do in the world’s great work. But who will do the work of the little Lucys, who are only six years old?”
What answer do you think this little girl gave? She replied,
“Everybody seems to have his own work to do; what if the idle little Lucys should do what belongs to them?”
This friend then brought before her the one thing needful, that of accepting the Lord Jesus, as her own dear Saviour, for little Lucy knew she was a sinner, and could never go to heaven, unless her sins were forgiven, and washed away in His own precious blood.
His wondrous love touched her heart, she came to Him, just as she was, and could sing from her heart,
“Jesus bids us shine,
First of all for Him;
Well He sees and knows it,
If our light grows dim:
He looks down from heaven,
To see us shine—
You in your small corner,
And I in mine.”
Dear little Lucy had now a new life. Her one concern was to let her light shine for Him to whom, she belonged. She was no longer idle, but helped mother; and desired to learn to knit, that she might make her father’s socks. She was no longer fretful, but found delight in doing all as unto the Lord, the One who loved her, and gave Himself for her.
ML 06/28/1925