IT WAS A lovely summer morning, and little Emily, six years old, was awakened early by a tap on her door. It was her brother Charles, just two years older than she.
“Come on, Emily,” called Charles, “let’s go for a hike in the woods before breakfast.”
Emily jumped out of bed and in a few minutes was dressed and ready. Both children hurried through their prayers that morning, neither taking time to really be in God’s presence to thank Him and to ask Him to keep them through the day. Soon they were both racing across the dewy lawn and into the woods, chasing butterflies and bunnies, while the thrushes and warblers filled the morning air with song.
Soon it was breakfast time and the two, panting from the chase, returned homeward. As they neared the house they met Tom, the baker’s boy, carrying a magnificent apple pie in his hands. It was still hot, and oh how nice it smelled!
“That’s the pie Mother ordered for supper tonight,” whispered Emily. “You know, Charles, that Uncle Ben and Aunt Grace are coming.” The kitchen door opened and the cook took the pie and placed it in the pantry window, without noticing the children outside.
“Now, Emily,” said Charles, “let’s have another peep at the pie.” So, placing a couple of bricks on the ground and standing on them, he gently lifted the window and pulled the pie towards him. “My, Emily,” he whispered, “I do think it is the most delightful pie ever. How nice it smells; so high and puffy. I don’t think a couple of spoonfuls could ever be missed, and here’s a spoon lying right behind it. I could raise the crust a little at the edge with my penknife and take out a spoonful. What do you think, Emily?”
“Think?” replied Emily. “I think it would be ever so nice. Is anyone looking?”
“Not a soul,” returned Charles; and so lifting the crust carefully, he handed his sister a spoonful.
“Oh, how good it is,” she exclaimed. “The best I ever tasted.” She need not have been surprised for “Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant,” the Bible tells us in Proverbs 9:17.
Charles thought it tasted good too.
Spoonful after spoonful did he share with his sister — till none was left. Then carefully putting down the crust again, he shut the window, roved the bricks, and both darted into the house. They both found it impossible to finish their breakfast, so Charles hurried off to school.
Mother found Emily unusually attentive that day, and praised her for it; as a reward she sent her out to play. Emily blushed scarlet; but it was the blush of shame. Outside, the scent of the blossoms filled the air and the birds sang merrily in the trees and there was no song of joy in little Emily’s heart. She could not lift up her heart in praise to that gracious God who had made everything so beautiful; she knew that she had sinned against Him, and her conscience smote her.
When Charles came home from school, Emily noticed that he too looked grave and unhappy. When father came home from work he took them for a walk and they tried to forget their sorrow.
At last, Uncle Ben and Aunt Grace arrived. “My, but my little Emily is blooming like a rose,” said Aunt Grace with pleasure.
“It’s because you have come,” said Mother, “for Emily has been looking pale all day.”
Supper time came, and all sat down for the evening meal. Charles and Emily cast furtive glances at each other across the table as they sat uneasily and watched each dish that was brought in. The first courses were completed amid the friendly chatter of the older folks. Then came the dreaded moment. “Charles, my boy,” said his father, “how about you ringing the bell for the pie?”
Charles obeyed trembling, and a few minutes later the old cook appeared with the pie and placed it on the table.
“Do let me cut it,” said Aunt Grace, “for I want the pleasure of helping these dear children who have been so good.” With that, she cut a piece of the crust, and then put in the spoon, which after a swift circuit around the dish came out as clean as it went in.
“Why, how is this?” exclaimed Father. “The apple pie is empty! Susan,” he demanded, “who brought this pie here this morning?”
“Why, little Tom, the baker’s boy,” answered Susan.
“That little rascal — that little thief,” said Father hotly. “I’ll see the baker tomorrow and insist that the boy be punished. Boys who bin by stealing, if not found out and punished, often grow up into wicked men.”
As his father spoke, poor Charles’ head dropped lower and lower, and he trembled violently. Emily thought he would drop off his seat. She herself could hardly swallow the bread and jelly given to her. Both children were glad when they were sent off up to bed.
But bed brought no rest for the guilty pair. Emily scarcely prayed, and a guilty conscience brought fear she had not had before. Finally she could stand it no longer and getting out of bed she crept softly to Charles’ room; and there she stood struck with awe for a moment, Charles was kneeling beside his bed, with his Bible open beside him. “Oh, Charles,” she exclaimed, “I’m so unhappy!”
“It is conscience, Emily.”
“But Charles, do you think Father and Mother will ever find it out?” “Find it out!” exclaimed her brother. “Do you think I shall sleep before I have confessed it all? Shall Tom be whipped and me the guilty person? No, Emily, no!”
“Oh, Charles, wait for me,” pleaded Emily, “and I will go with you and help you tell everything.”
Father and mother were surprised to see two small figures in night attire coming down the staircase just as their aunt and uncle were saying good-bye. “My dear children,” inquired Father. “Are you sick?”
“No, Father,” sobbed Charles. “But Tom must not be punished. Tom is not the thief. I am. I was like the wicked serpent. I tempted Emily to eat.”
“No, no, Daddy,” said Emily; “I was just as bad. He did not tempt me. I asked him for spoonful after spoonful. I was quite wicked also.”
Aunt Grace thought the children had been punished enough, but Father said, No; he must punish his two children, because he loved them and wanted them to learn to resist temptation. Their repentance was real, for they knelt down and confessed their sin to God, who tells us in His Word: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Again, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” I John 1:9; 2:1. The Lord Jesus paid the penalty of our sins when He died on the cross, for those who trust Him as their Saviour.
So God turned it all for good, for Charles and Emily learned how deceitful and wicked our hearts are, but they tasted too, of God’s mercy and grace that day.
“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Prov. 28:13.
ML-07/24/1966