MANY of our young readers will remember the childhood rhyme, Simple Simon, of how he “met a pie man, going to the fair; said Simple Simon to the pie man, I’d like to taste your wares!”
Well our story today is a true one, about a little girl named Martha, her daddy, and a real pie man.
John was a poor fisherman, whose dear wife and the mother of their three little children had been taken home to heaven some time before. John was a God-fearing, kind and loving father, but he had a hard time providing for his little ones, especially now that their dear mother was no longer there to care for them.
Of late the weather had been stormy and the fishing fleets had feared to venture out into the rough seas. Forced to remain at home, the fishermen had taken in but little of the harvest of the sea.
Having caught very little fish for some time now, John had scarcely earned enough to buy his children food, and when they cried from hunger he was hard put to know what to do for them.
Still he trusted in God, for he loved Him, and believed His Word: “Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?” Luke 12:2424Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? (Luke 12:24).
John had neither storehouse nor barn, but he had a loving Father in heaven, to whom all the earth and seas belong, and He knew there was not bread enough in the poor fisherman’s home to feed his little family.
One morning, with a sad heart, putting little Martha on his shoulders, John went out for a walk down the street. Presently a pie man emerged from his bake shop with a large tray filled with fresh buns, cookies and other good things, on his head. Little Martha, on her father’s shoulders, was just high enough to look into the pie man’s tray, and the sight of the tempting goodies was too much for her. The hungry little girl reached out her hand to snatch a cake.
“No, no, Martha,” said her father, “those do not belong to us, and I have no money to buy you any this morning.” And as he spoke little Martha began to cry bitterly, nor would she be comforted, so her father sorrowfully turned about and headed home. But even as he turned around a lady was passing by and it seemed as if they bumped into one another.
When they got back home, John took off his heavy sailor’s jacket and as he threw it down out dropped a dollar bill. At first he did not believe his eyes, nor understood where it had come from. Then he called to mind that just when little Martha was crying for the cakes, a woman had pushed against him, and she no doubt had put the money into his pocket. But he took it as from the Lord, and he did not wait to thank God for it, nor did the hungry little children have to wait long for their meal. Closing their eyes, John gave thanks to God for His mercy in sending them their dinner.
Dear young friends, never let us forget to praise God for His answers to our prayers. He Himself who is so good and kind has told us, “Be ye thankful.”
What a blessed God and Father He is to those who know His dear Son as their Saviour! Is He your Saviour? Those who have Christ as their Saviour, also have God as their Father, and He knows “what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him.” (Matt. 6:88Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. (Matthew 6:8)).
Here are some texts of scripture: “This is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us.” 1 John 5:1414And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: (1 John 5:14).
ML-02/18/1973