Mrs. Fuller and her little Shirley were traveling together on the train. Shirley was a bright little thing, and not at all afraid of strangers, so that when a young man sat down in the opposite seat, she promptly had a big smile for him. He smiled right back—and at once they were the best of friends. They chatted gaily about the things they saw from the windows, and Shirley told him about her little brother at home, auci about her dolls. Before long she was sitting in his lap, and he just looked the picture of happiness as she just looked up at him and smiled.
Sooner than he wished, the young man found that the train was approaching his station, and he told his little friend that he must leave. Her face became solemn and her happy little voice was silent. She gave him a long and tender look that went right to his heart. Then she said in the sweetest voice, “Does you love God?”
He looked astonished at such a question from so small a child. Quickly he gathered up his hat and coat, and with one more long look at the solemn yet happy little face, he turned and left the train without a word except a rather shaky, “Good-bye, Shirley.”
He hurried to the hotel, but the little voice went with him. “Does you love God?” Several of his friends were waiting for him at the hotel, and they set out to have their usual time of fun and mirth. But the young man was not enjoying it at all. Everywhere he went, the little face seemed to appear before him, and the sweet childish voice would say, “Does you love God?”
His name was Gilbert and he was just twenty-three years of age. He was a brilliant scholar, and had many friends, and fancied that it was enough for him to have a “little bit of religion” for the sake of his conscience. But ever since his meeting with little Shirley, there was an empty void in his heart that he had never felt before. He tried to drown his thoughts in drink and folly, but he could not.
A thoughtful sober young man of twenty-eight was walking along the street in a busy city. Although sober, he had a look of peace and joy on his face that is not often seen in this day of madness. Suddenly he noticed a lady approaching him, and saw her turn into a handsome home. He paused a moment, and them went right to the door and rang the bell.
“Pardon this visit, lady, but I am sure you are the mother whose little girl chatted with me on a train five years ago. Just as I went to leave she asked me, ‘Does you love God?’ Do you remember?”
“Yes, I do remember. And I remember the look of surprise on your face, and have often wondered just what you thought after you left the train.”
“I must tell you that the Lord Jesus has saved my soul. And I would love to see little Shirley again, and tell her just how her question brought me to the feet of Jesus.”
The tears were running down the lonely mother’s cheeks. “I am so glad to hear this,” she said. “But I am sorry to tell you that our little Shirley has left us. She is in heaven.”
They both stood in silence while the tears flowed down both cheeks.
“Come with me,” said Mrs. Fuller, with bowed head, Gilbert entered little Shirley’s own room, and there saw her much-loved books, and right by her empty bed was her own beloved Bible. “There is all that is left of our little Shirley for us to see until we see her in heaven,” sobbed the mother.
“No, madam, that is not all that is left. I am here a monument of God’s mercy, made so by her loving influence. Before she asked me ‘Does you love God?’ I was a careless pleasure-loving youth, and I had even dared to doubt the very existence of God Himself. But as that simple question burned itself more and more on my heart, I found that God loved me! I found that He had given His Son to die for me. And I thank Him that He has picked me up and saved me, and I so often wished that I could tell all my story to little Shirley. But I know I shall see her again, for I am on my way to glory, too.”
Dear young reader, “Do you love God?” God loves you and has shown His love in the gift of Jesus.
ML 01/25/1953