Although she was only seven years old Barbara already was a big help to her mother. She could dry dishes, clean up her room, dust furniture and even take care of her little baby brother Stephen—that is, when he was good. But most of all she loved to run errands.
Of course, Mother did not let her go very far from home... just down the street and around the corner to the grocery store or to the neighbors’ houses on their side of the street.
All the neighbors on that street in Pensacola, Florida knew Barbara. She was friendly to everyone she met. At the store there was always someone to help her with the list that Mother sent along with her.
One late afternoon Mother discovered that she was out of the cheese that she needed to make the evening meal. Not wanting to waken Stephen from his nap to go herself, she asked Barbara to run down to the store for her. The days were getting dark earlier at this time of year, but Mother was sure Barbara could easily run to the store and get back before dark. She gave Barbara the money and a note with the name of the cheese she needed, reminded her to come back quickly, and sent her off. “You can also buy a box of your favorite cookies,” she told Barbara as she hurried on her way.
Barbara, like many other boys and girls, was really trying to be good and be a help to her mother and father. We’re glad for anyone who really tries to be helpful and obeys their parents. But just because children, older boys and girls and adults are helpful and obedient, it does not mean that in God’s sight their lives are fine.
Although Barbara and others like her tried to be good and helpful, she would have to admit that sometimes she has done things that were unkind or wrong. In the eyes of God this is sin, and each of us has sinned many times. The Bible says, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23). This means that each of us is a sinner, and sinners cannot enter into God’s home of glory (heaven). God cannot have sin in His presence and those who die without having their sins forgiven will be punished forever in the lake of fire.
Yet God in His great love for sinners like you and me has provided a way for us to share heaven with Him. It was not by excusing sinners or overlooking our sins, but by providing a substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be punished in our place. None of us could stand the punishment God requires for our sins. Even the smallest sin is a terrible thing in God’s eyes. But the Lord Jesus Christ was punished on the cross for all the sins of all who will accept Him as Saviour. There He satisfied God concerning the sins of all who will trust Him. The blood that flowed from His side when pierced by the soldier’s spear can wash away all your sins. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7).
I’m happy to say that Barbara had accepted the Lord Jesus as her own Saviour. Even though she was only seven years old she understood that she sometimes disobeyed, and that this was sin. When she learned about the Lord Jesus from her parents, she asked Him to wash away her sins in His blood. Now she tried to be good because she wanted to please her Saviour.
Barbara soon reached the store, and it was not long before she had bought the things for her mother and was on her way home again. She had not gone very far when she noticed three dogs following her. They must have smelled the cookies or the cheese, because they came closer and closer. Soon they were sniffing the bag that Barbara carried.
“Go away, doggies!” she ordered, holding the bag high above her head. She was not afraid of dogs because she had one at home. But she had never seen these dogs before.
“Go away!” she said again sternly. But instead of going away the dogs began jumping up at the bag.
“Go away, go away, you bad dogs!” she cried.
Barbara became frightened as the dogs continued to jump, so she began to run. But the dogs ran after her, and she could not get rid of them. They were barking now, and that made her even more frightened.
The street Barbara lived on had a big curve in it. She could take a shortcut to her house by following a path that crossed an empty lot. Barbara ran down to the path only to find several more dogs in the empty lot. They also started to bark and chase her. By the time she reached the center of the empty lot she was surrounded by seven or eight dogs. They were all barking and trying to reach the good smelling things in her bag.
Then Barbara remembered what her mother had told her to do if she ever got into any trouble. Her mother had explained that the Lord Jesus was always ready to help her if she would just ask Him. With all those yapping, yelping dogs around her, and still holding the bag high above her head, she shut her eyes and asked the Lord Jesus to make the dogs go away and help her get home., How many times we all forget to just stop for a moment to ask the Lord Jesus to help us with a problem. Instead, we often try to solve it alone, forgetting that the Lord Jesus will solve not only our big problems, but our little ones, too. Barbara’s problem was a pretty big one, and the Lord Jesus solved it pretty fast for her, too.
Suddenly all the barking stopped, and the dogs were all slinking away with their tails between their legs, just as though someone had commanded them to go.
By the time Barbara got home her mother was beginning to wonder why it was taking her so long. Barbara burst into the house and started talking as fast as she could. Mother quieted her down and then listened to Barbara’s story. They both thanked the Lord Jesus for answering Barbara’s simple prayer. For Barbara it was something very wonderful which she will never forget.
ML-10/23/1983