A teacher in a large school was one day giving a lesson in geography to a class of the youngest boys. In the course of the lesson, she had occasion to speak of the size and shape of the earth on which we live; its roundness like a ball or an orange, and of many other things which seem strange and wonderful.
At the close of the lesson, the teacher, in order to ascertain what her pupils had learned, commenced to ask them about it. The first few questions were answered very well, every boy seeming quite sure that the earth was round like an orange. But the next question caused a complete stop, and not a hand was seen uplifted to signal that a reply was forth-coming.
The teacher had asked for a proof that the earth was round, and thirty or more busy brains were hard at work trying to solve the difficulty, and win the honor of answering this hard question. Again the question was asked,
“Now, tell me, how do you know that the earth is round like an orange?”
But still no answer; just, however, as the teacher was about to explain, a hand darted up from the middle of the class, and all eyes were turned upon Tommy. The teacher at once put the question,
“Well, Tommy, how can you prove ‘that the earth is round?”
Tommy looked round in triumph on the rest of the class for a moment, and then answered,
“Because you say so.”
Now this was faith. Tommy believed that the earth was round, because his teacher said so, and he knew no better proof. He had faith in his teacher that she would not deceive him: his teacher’s word was enough, and Tommy rested satisfied.
How many have exercised a simple faith like this little boy’s in the matter of their own souls’ salvation. How many boys and girls there are who will confess they are sinners, and as such unfit for the presence of God, and for heaven, and yet have never taken God at His word the says; “All have sinned,” Rom 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23).
ML 08/08/1940