MARY was just eight years old and seemed very much like other little girls. However, there was really a great difference, not in appearance but in her heart. When God looks down from heaven on people, He does not look on the outward appearance, but on the heart. In Mary’s heart He saw something that pleased Him greatly — a willing and obedient spirit.
Mary’s parents were very wealthy, but they did not love God and never did they tell her about Jesus and His love. However, among the servants was a lady who loved the Lord and she often told Mary some of the wonderful things in the Bible, of how He made the world and all the people, the animals and living things in it. From heaven He could look down into boys’ and girls’ hearts and knew those who loved and sought to please Him. She told Mary of how the Lord Jesus came into this world and went to Calvary’s cross where He died for sinners. But He rose again and now lives in heaven.
Mary read the Bible for herself too and gradually the Book grew precious to her. She learned that the Lord Jesus might come at any moment to take all who are saved home to heaven. As she grew older life became difficult for her parents wanted her to go to theaters and dances and places where she knew the Lord Jesus would not be welcome. She read what the prophet had said to king Jehoshaphat when he linked himself with the wicked king Ahab: “Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord?” 2 Chron. 19:22And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. (2 Chronicles 19:2). Again she read in 1 John 2:1515Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (1 John 2:15): “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.” Mary desired nothing so much as to be pleasing to the One who loved her and gave Himself for her....
Finally, when her father saw that her face was set heavenward, he became very vexed and told her she must leave home unless she prosed never to speak of Christ to her brothers or to any one else in the house. This was a terrible blow to Mary for it was a great sorrow to think of having to leave her pants, her family and comfortable home and go and live alone in some boarding house. But she remembered the words of the Lord Jesus: “There is no man that bath left house, or parents or brethren... for the kingdom of God’s sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.” Luke 18:29,3029And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, 30Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting. (Luke 18:29‑30).
After much prayer and weeping many tears, she told her father she would have to say good-bye as she must obey God rather than man. With a very sad heart she left home to go among strangers. But she was not left alone, for the Lord Jesus was her Friend and Comforter; she delighted in Him and He gave her “the desires of her heart” (Psa. 37:44Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. (Psalm 37:4)).
Not long after this her father died and she inherited considerable wealth. This she began to use for the Lord. She bought a large mansion and took in orphan girls to whom she taught the sweet message of Jesus’ love and God’s salvation. After some years in this good work she became the happy wife of a young Christian man who went about faithfully preaching the gospel, and his labors were much blessed in that district.
ML-04/08/1973