Patsy put away her picture book I and stood looking out the window. There was not much to see, for it was dark and raining. Slowly she turned around and watched her older sister Irene, who was busily reading a big book. Patsy was too little to read, and it was awfully quiet with nobody to play with.
“Irene, will you play house with me, please?”
No answer. Another page of the book was turned, and Irene’s face was filled with the interest of the story.
“Irene, let’s play house, please!” “I’m busy.”
Patsy turned away and watched the rain splash against the window for a few minutes, although it seemed like a few hours.
“Irene, have you finished? I wish you would play with me.”
Instead of an answer, Irene’s fingers covered her ears and she went on reading. But there was a voice which came from within which could not be silenced by those naughty fingers. Irene’s conscience was saying, “Close your book and play with your sister.” All at once she remembered the words of a text which was hanging over her bed. She could almost see the words, “Even Christ pleased not Himself.” Irene was a true Christian and she knew it would be wrong to be selfish, so she closed her interesting book, ran across the room and said,
“All right, Patsy. Let’s play house.” Patsy’s lonesome little face was filled with smiles at once, and deep inside Irene was happy that the Lord Jesus had given her a victory over selfishness.
Dear young Christian reader, let this little story awaken you and me to follow the path of our Saviour in all things, and to see before us that verse, “Even Christ pleased not Himself.” Romans 15:33For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. (Romans 15:3).
ML 08/08/1954