Once a week it was grocery-shopping day. As soon as school was over, the boys hurried home so they could go too. Mother loaded the two babies into the carriage while the boys took Helen between them. Then off they all trooped down the street and over the hill to the supermarket.
The two boys thought it was great fun to load the cart they were pushing with groceries while Mother followed behind with her cart full of babies, telling them which things to take off the shelves. Edith, the smallest, sat in the cart’s baby seat, and George rode in the bottom of the basket. Helen laid on her tummy on the rack underneath the basket and was reminded very plainly to keep her hands off the floor.
Almost always it was a happy time for everyone. But one day Helen disobeyed. She started dragging her hands on the floor. Mother didn’t notice what Helen was doing, and a moment later the cart, heavy with three children in it, rolled over the end of her middle finger. Helen screamed! Mother stopped the cart with the wheel right on top of the finger, because she didn’t see what was making Helen scream. Helen screamed louder! Mother moved the cart, but the poor little finger was badly squashed. Blood was oozing out all around the fingernail and the whole end was turning black and blue.
Helen had forgotten that God says, “Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well-pleasing unto the Lord.” Colossians 3:2020Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. (Colossians 3:20). And so their happy time ended sadly.
Have you obeyed the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ?
ML-02/12/1989