Barbara was sitting on the floor playing with her favorite doll. The doll had a name, but I have forgotten it. Barbara would talk to her doll, and tell her all kinds of wonderful plans. Mother was sitting nearby, busy mending torn clothes, as mothers often do. All at once the little voice stopped, and Barbara sat quietly. Then with a very thoughtful expression on her face, she walked slowly over to her mother.
“Mother, tell me, is it really true that God loves me? Does He really love little Barbara?”
“Yes, my dear, God really loves you. He loved you so very much that He sent His own Son to die for you. He loved you, but He did not love your sins, and so He sent His dear Son into this world to go to the cross in order that your little heart might be washed clean from sins, and that you might be fit for heaven. He wants you to trust His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
“Does Jesus love me better than you do, Mother?”
“Yes, Barbara, far better. I have never died for you, but the Lord Jesus did.”
“Does Jesus love me now?”
“Yes, dear. Although He is in heaven, He sees you right now and He loves you right now.”
A glowing smile lighted her happy face and she cried out with joy, “Then I love Him! I love Him! Oh, I do love Him right now!”
From that day on, Barbara was a living testimony that she belonged to the Lord Jesus. There was a real change in all her ways, and she always delighted to tell others how much Jesus loved her and that He loved them too. As she would speak to people about the wonderful love of Jesus, she would carefully watch their faces to see if she could tell whether they loved Him too. And if anyone seemed unchanged or careless when she spoke to them, she would often say, “But don’t you love Him back again? I do.”
ML 06/10/1956