Little Charlie's Question

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“IS a Christian allowed to play, teacher?” asked a sharp little fellow at the close of school.
Our lesson that afternoon had been on the coming glory of Christ, when He shall reign over a happy and peaceful earth. We had read, among other Scriptures that beautiful description of Millennial blessing in Zechariah 8:5,5And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof. (Zechariah 8:5) where we are told, that, in the earthly Jerusalem,
“The streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing.”
This seemed to take the little fellow by surprise, for, as he afterwards told me, he had thought that Christian boys and girls were not allowed to play.
As the bright eyes peered into mine, waiting for an answer, I said,
“Yes, Charlie, God delights to see His children happy, and I am sure. He is not displeased when they play, only of course, He would have them play as Christians should.”
Charlie’s face beamed, and he said quietly, “Because I was saved here in the school a week ago, and I want to do what will please the Lord Jesus.”
Dear little fellow! The new life was there, you see—he had received Jesus as his Saviour. Charlie, as his ways show, is truly a Christian. Are you? Or, do you think that you would lose all your pleasures if you had Christ? No one is so truly happy as the real Christian.
ML 06/06/1937